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I 


THE  GENERAL 


BIOGRAPHICAL    DICnONARY. 


A  NEW  EDITION. 


VOL.  XXV. 


. 


printed  by  NieifOLti  Son,  and  BKNTLfcv» 
lUU  Lion  Passages.  Fleet  Stn^et,  LcHulum 


THE   GENERAL 

BIOGRAPHICAL  DICTIONARY : 

CONTAINING 

AN  HISTORICAL  AND  CRITICAL  ACCOUNT 

OF   THB 

LIVES   AND  WRITINGS 

or  THE 

MOST   EMINENT    PERSONS 

IN   EVERY  NATION; 

PARTICULARLY  THE  BRITISH  AND  IRISH  i 

» 

FROM  THE  EARLIEST  ACCOUNTS  TO  THE  PRESENT  TIME. 


A  NEW  EDITION, 

REVISED  AND   ENLARGED   BY 

ALEXANDER  CHALMERS,  F.  S.  A, 


VOL.  XXV. 


LONDONt 

PRINTKD  FOR  J.  NICHOLS  AND  BON  {  F.  C.  AND  J.  IUTIN(3TON ;  T.  PAYNB  | 
OTRIDGB  AND  SON  ;  G.  AND  W.  fflCOL  ;  G.  WILKIB  ;  J.  WALKBR  ;  R.  LBA  ; 
W.  LOWNDBS;  WHITE,  COCHRANE,  AND  CO.  j  T.  EQERTON;  LACKINQTONy 
ALLEN,  AND  CO.;  J.  CARPENTER;  LONGMAN,  HURST,  REES,  ORME,  AND 
BROWN;  CADELL  AND  DAVIES ;  CLAW;  J.BOOKER;  J.  CUTHELL;  CLARKE 
AND  SONS;  J.  AND  A.  ARCH;  J.  HARRIS;  BLACK,  PARRY,  AND  CO. ;  J.  BOOTH; 
J.  MAWMAN;  GALE,  CURTIS.  AND  FENNER ;  R.  H.  ETANS  j  J.  HATCHARD| 
J.  MURRAY;  BALDWIN,  CRADOCK,  AND  JOY ;  E.  BENTLBY  ;  J.  FAULDBR  ;' 
OGLE  AND  CO. ;  W.  GINGER;  J.  DBIGHTON  AND  SON,  CAMBRIDGE^  CONSTABLE 
AND  CO.  EDINBURGH  I  AND  WILSON  AND  SON,  YORK. 

1816. 


A  NEW  AND    GENEBAI^ 


BIOGRAPHICAL  DICTIONARY. 


X  ITT  (W^-ljam),  earl  of  Chath^kirt,  one  of  the  ino*t 
iUustrious  sutesmen  wbotn  this  countr|y  bi^s  prodii^^^y  w$^ 
tbie  son  of  Robert  Fitt,  .esq.  of  Bocopnpck  in  Cornwall,  aQ4 
grandson  of  Thomas  Pitt^  ggivernor  of  Madr^i  >w.bp  wf^ 
purchaser  of  the  celebrated  di^tnond^  afte.r\yards  called  the 
Hegent.  The  family  was  origin^}^  (ofV^/set^hijet  wher,e 
it  bad  .been  iQpg  and  respecjO^ii^  ^^tfihlr^ed.  Willi^Kia 
Pitt  was  bora  Nov.  .15,  I7<>i$^'\^njl  jeducikted  at  Pton; 
whence^  in  January  1.72^6,  he-iij^nt  $is  a/.g^ptleman-cpm- 
cDoner  to  Trinity- cpUege,  O^fora^  Ifc.h^  been  ;»8iid,  th^t 
:he  was  not  devoid  of  poetical  taied^  of  w.hicb  f^  few  fipe* 
cimens  have  been  produced ;  but  they  dp  not  amount  to 
much,  and  of  his  Latin  ver^ea  on  the  death.pf  Qeor^e  th^ 
First,  it  is  natural  to  suspect  that  the  whple  .iperit  was  .pot 
his  o\yn.  When  be. quitted  the  univ^r;^ity,  Pitt  .was  for, a 
time  in  the  army,  and  served  as  a  porneji;  bpt  his  t{^lep|s 
leading  him  more  decisively  to  another  field  of  .fictip^,  he 
quitted  the  life  of  a  spldier  for  that  of  ji>t^)[<esm;»n,  s^jid 
becauie  a. member  of  parliapient  for  the  borviii^h  P^  Pld 
Saruib,;.ia  FebrAj^ry  ,1.73^.  In  thi.s  sitp^tipn  hi^  ahilities 
weresopn  disitinguished,  and  he  ^ppj^ie  with  gre.at  elp^uen<;e 
against  jthe  J^pucuisb  qopventiop 4a  1 73S.  Ijt  was.pn  thp  PC- 
casion  of  the  bill  fpr  if^istrii|g  se^mhcn  in  J7.40,  .which  tje 
opposed  ia^^rbitcacy .and  unjja^^tifi^&hle,  tb^t  .be  is  ^aid  to 
have  m^ade  hia  celehr^^d  .r^ply  tP  Mr.  .(Joratio  Walpole, 
who  had  att^acked  him  on  account  of  his  ypu.th  (thpu^i 
then  thirty-two),  adding,  that  the  discovery  of  truth  is 
little  promoted  by  pompous  diotipn  and  tbeatric>l  leqiotion* 
Mr.  Pitt  ,retprtec|,  with  gre^t  severity,  "J  w]U  uot  un- 
.dertake  to  determiae  whether  youth .  caujuitlY  jbe  impptejd 
Vol.  XXV.  B 


2  PITT. 

to  any  man  as  a  reproach ;  but  I  w^U  affirm,  tha^  the 
wretch  who,  after  having  seen  the  consequences  of  repeated 
errors,  continues  still  to  blunder,  and  whose  age  has  only 
added  obstinacy  to  stupidity,  is  surely  the  object  of 
either  abhorrence  or  contempt,  and  deserves  not  that  bis 
grey  head  should  secure  him  from  insults.  Much  more  ia 
he  to  be  abhorred,  who,  as  he  has  advanced  in  age,  has 
receded  from  virtue,  and  becomes  more  wicked  with  less 
temptation;  who  prostitutes  himself  for  money  which  he 
cannot  enjoy ;  and  spends  the  remains  of  his  life,  in  the 
ruin  of  his  country."  Something  like  this  Mr.  Pitt  might 
have  said,  but  the  language  is  that  of  Dr.  Johnson,  who 
then  reported  the  debates  for  the  Gentleman's  Magazine. 

Though  he  held  no  place  immediately  from  the  crown, 
Mr.  Pitt  had  for  some  time  enjoyed  that  of  groom  of  the 
befddbamber  to  Frederick  prince  of  Wales,  but  resigned  it 
in  1745;  and  continuing  steady  in  his  opposition  to  the 
measures  of  the  ministry,  experienced  about  the  same  time 
that  fortune,  which  more  than  once  attended  him,  of  ha- 
ving his  public  services  repaid  by  private  zeal.  The  dow- 
ager duchess  of  Marlborough  left  him  by  will  10,000/.  ex- 
pressly for  defending  the  laws  of  his  country,  and,  en- 
deavouring to  prevent  its  ruin.  It  was  thought  soon  after 
an  object  of  importance  to  obtain  his  co-operation  with 
|;overnment,  and  in  1746  he  was  made  joint  vice-treasurer 
of  Ireland ;  and  in  the  same  year  treasurer,  and  pay -mas- 
ter-general of  the  army,  and  a  privy -counsellor.  h\  1755, 
thinking  it  necessary  to  make  a  strong  opposition  to  the 
continental  connections  then  formed  by  the  ministry,  be 
resigned  his  places,  and  remained  for  some  time  out  of 
office.  But  in  December  1756,  he  was  called  to  a  higher 
situation,  being  appointed  secretary  of  state  for  the  south- 
ern department.  In  this  high  office  he  was  more  success- 
ful in  obtaining  the  confidence  of  the  public,  than  that  of 
the  king,  some  of  whose  wishes  h«  thought  himself  bound 
to  oppose.  In  consequence  of  this  he  was  soen,  removed, 
with  Mr.  Legge,  and  some  others  of  his  friends.  The  na- 
tion, however,  was  not  disposed  to  be  deprived  of  the  ser- 
vices of  Mr.  Pitt.  The  most  exalted  idea  of  hini  bad  been 
taken  up  throughout  the  kingdom  :  not  only  of  his  abilities, 
which  were  evinced  by  his  consummate  eloquence,  but  of 
his  exalted,  judicious,  and  disinterested  patriotism.  This 
general  opinion  of  him,  and  in  some  degree  of  his  col- 
leagues, was  so  strongly  expressed,  not  merely  by  per- 


PITT.  8 

so'nal  bonc^rs  conferred  on  tbem^  but  by  addresses  to'th^ 
throne  in  their  favoar,  that  the  king  thought  it  prudent  to 
restore  them  to  their  employments.     On  June  29,   1757, 
Mr.  Pitt  was  again  made  secretary  qf  state,  and  $ir.  Legge 
chancellor  of  the  exchequer,  with  other  arrangements  ac- 
eording  to  their  wishes.     Mr.  Pitt  was  now  considered  as 
prime  minister,   and  to  the  extraordinary    ability  of  his 
-measures,  and  the  vigour  of  his  whole  administration,  is 
attributed  the  great  change  which  qufckly  appeared  in  the 
state  of  public  affairs.     It  was  completely  shewn  how  much 
the  spirit  of  one  man  may  animate  a  whole  nation.  The  ac- 
tivity of  the  minister  pervaded  every  department  His  plans> 
which  were  ably  conceived,  were  executed  with  the  utmost 
promptitude ;  and  the  depression  which  had  arisen  from 
torpor  and  ill  success,  was  followed  by  exertion,  triumph, 
and  confidence.  The  whole  fortune  of  the  war  was  changed ; 
in  every  quarter  of  the  world  we  were  triumphant ;  the 
boldest  attempts  were  made  by  sea  and  land,  and  almost 
every  attempt  was  fortunate.     In  America  the  French  lost 
^lefoec;  in  Africa  their  principal  settlements  fell;  in  the 
E»it-Indies  their  power  was  abridged,  and  in  Europe  their 
armies  defeated  ;  while  their  navy,  their  commerce,  and 
their  finances,  were  little  less  than  ruined.     Amidst  this 
career  of  success  king  George  the  Second  died,  Oct.  25, 
1760.     His  present  majesty  ascended  the  throne  at  a  time 
when  ifae  policy  of  the  French  court  had  just  succeeded  in 
obtaining  the  co-operation  of  Spain.     The  family  cpmpact 
had  been  secretly  concluded ;  and  the  English  minister, 
indubitably  informed  of  the  hostile  intentions  of. Spain, 
with  his  usual  vigour  of  mind,  had  determined  on  striking 
the  first  blow,  before  the  intended  enemy  should  be  fully 
prepared  for  action.     He  proposed  in  the  privy  council  an 
immediate  declaration  of  war  against  Spain,  urgitig,  with 
l^eat  energy,  that  this  was  the  favourable  moment,  per* 
baps  never  to  be  regained,  for  humbling  the  whole  iiouse 
of  Bourbon.     In  this  measure  he  was  not  supported,  and 
the  nation  attributed  the  opposition  he  encountered  to  the 
growing  influence  of  the  earl  of  Bute.     Mr.  Pitt,  of  much 
too  high  a  spirit  to  remain  as  the  nojCninal  head  of  a  cabi- 
net which    he  was  no  longer  able  to  direct,  resigned  his 
places  on, the  5th  of  October,  1761  ;  when,  as  some  re- 
ward for  his  eminent  services,  his  wife  was  created  baro« 
Dess  of  Chatham  in  her  own  right,  and  a  pension  Of  thref 

B  2     . 


%  ^  1  t  T- 

thoiisatSa  pounds  wtLs  s^ttl^d  oh  the  lives  of  biimeif)  his  h^ 
Wnd  his  eldest  ^on. 

No  falleti  iiltirti^ter  ev6t  carried  tvith  him  more  com*- 
pletely  tfi'e  confidence  And  regrA  of  the  natkm^  over  ^bose 
councils  be  had  pi'esided  :  but  the  king  was  also  popular, 
at  this  time,  and  th'6  War  being  eodttnired  by  his  new 
ininiiftei^  With  vigour  and  siSccesS,  iio  discontent  appeared 
till  Sifter  the  conclusion  6f  peac^.  Our  trivmpbs  in  the 
West  Iirdies  oVer  b6th  Fwtivee  imd  Spain,  had  particulariy 
eliilted'thb  ^irits  6T'the  pMpte,  and  it  was  tconceived  that 
W6  ou&ht  eithclr  to  cftctate  a  peacfe  as  conquerors,  or  cwlk- 
tinue  the  war  till  our  adver^ies  shoaM  be  more  ^fFectir- 
liltytiubi^Ved.  With  these  ideas,  when  the  preliminaries 
for  pekc'e  ftreVe  di sensed  in  pdrtiament,  Mr.  Pitc^  though 
'he  bkA  been  for  somi  time  confipnfed  by  a  severe  fit  of  th^ 
^b'ut,  Wfent  ^doWii  t6  %he  -House  of  Commons,  a^d  spoke 
foV  nearly  thireb  hburs  in  \he  debate.  He  gave  his  opinioQ 
'distinfctTy  upoh  almost  e'vfei^  article  in  the  treaty,  and, 
tipon  the  Wncyle,  maintained  that  it  was  inadequate  to  the 
conquests,  knd  just  e^pectiitions  of  the  kingdom.  Peace 
Wa^  however  cdtiduded  an  tb^  lOth  of.  February,  1763^ 
and  ^M'r  Pitt  cbfftinued  tiri^mpioyed.  He  had  the  magna- 
uibiity  tiot  to  enter  ihtotbat  petulant  and  undiscriminatihg 
jptan '6f  oppositioti,  which  has  ^o'fiequentiy  disgraced  the 
ill-judging  candidates  for  power;  but  maintained  bis  popii- 
larity  in  dignified  retirement,  itnd  came  forward  only  when 
great  6ccaSioni$  appeared  to  demand  his  interference.  'One 
of  tbefse  was  the  important  question  of  general  warrants  in 
1764;  theMllegality  of  which  he  maintained  with  all  the 
energy  6f  ^bis  genius  and  eloquence.  A  search  'or  seizure 
of  papers,  without  a  specific  charge  alledged,  would  be, 
as  he  justly  contended,  reptignant  to  «v^ry  prin<!fiple  ^ 
liberty.  The  moist  innocent  man  could  not  be  secure. 
"  But  by  the  British  conStitiition,"  hfe  continued,  "  every 
man's  house  is  his  castle.  Not  that  it  is  surrounded  with 
Walk  and  battlehients.  It  may  be  a  'straw- built  shed. 
Evi^ry  wind  of  heaven  may  Whtstlerbund  it.  Ail  the  ele- 
ments of  nature  may  eilter  it.  But  the  king  cannot;  the 
king  dare  not" 

When  the  discontents  in' A inetica  began  to  tippear,  d» 
the  occasion  of  the  stanfpistct,  Mr.  PHt  again 'found  a  sub- 
ject for  his  (exertions.  The  r^pleal  iof  that  act' being  pro- 
posed in  March  1766,  by  tbb  tiew  ministry  of  ^e finking- 
ham-party,  Mr.  Pitt,   though  not  Qonnected  with  them. 


JP  I  T  f .  J 

very  r<i]«U)ly'sup[pai^leii  iht  V0fi^»r^  whipk  wi^  9am^.; 

wbetber.  wisely  or  foriupfite)y»  \tk  ^tUI  f^  m^t^  pf  disgfiutes. 

ibeat  this  time  <lie«l  sir  Wini^m  Pypsent,    of  ]6ttr(9P 

Pyriisenviii  Soan^rsetsbirey  ain^n  qf  ^Qn«id^ipable  proppfty;, 

who,  ihroagh  toeve  adu^iratipa  of  Mf.  I^^t(  irj  hU  p^^Up 

character,  disinhemed  bis  ova  r^btionsi  W^  M'^^  \iW 

heir  10  the  bulk  of  his  esiMe.     It  w»s  P«r(iliuly  a  reqnfir^r 

able  proof  of  the  very  uiicQmn^n  <|«tim?lMpn  in  wbicli  |{iiji 

statesmati  vras  held,   thai  a  (^ircm«i9lia$:e  pf  t,hui  niftfir^ 

•haufd  have  happened  to  him  at  twf)i  di#i^r$iqt  p^riq^i  plT 

his  life.. 

7be  Roekjnghaoi  feinistry  prpripg  uni^b»  tp  fo^ifitAin  i^9 
froarid,  a  nemr  adfninisiration  m9A  fnmieid,  wd  H^  VWh  IP 
1766,  was  niada  lord  privy  seal.  At  the  f4n)0  Um^  h^  Wl^ 
created  a  peer,  by  the  titles  of  Yisopunt  Pitt,  pf  Bv)rtQP 
Pynsent,  in  the  county  of  Samcr^fj  ^d.e»rl  of  CJiathaiii^ 
in  the  county  of  Kent.  Whatever  might  biS  hi^  Kiptjy.^^  fpr 
dcceptrng  this  eleration,  be  Mr^nly  9Qoi^  by  it  In  pppu- 
larity,  at  least  as  much  as  be  vf^e  in  opmin^l  dig^i^y*.  Tb^ 
great  co^amonef,  as  btf  was  someliines  stylpd,  b%d  forip^d 
ar^nkto  himself,  on  the  sole  ba^i^  pf  bia  t^le^^s  ai)jd  ft^- 
eruonft,  Gdrwfaioh  the  titulai;  hpiioursi  which  h^  ?V^i^  m^w 
to  partieipate  with  many  ot^iers,  pould  nut  iR  tbe  publip 
ppiaiou  compensate.'  Still  it  niuat  b^  .<>w4^d ^.^^  ^b^  higb 
and  hereditary  distinction  of  tb(s  peer^g^  isi  9  j))stiiDd.b^ 
nourableiebject  of  aii^bition  1^  uPriiisb  pidtm^ffU^fi  vvbicbr 
if  he  attains  it,  as  Mr.  Pitt  f^ppe^^ra  t/»  bi^vis  4<^i9^  Wii^bppt 
aay  improper  concession  or  sjtipulatipiiy  a^f^y  he  p09$ic)^rpd 
as  the  fair  reward  of  past  ser^ipes,  4l9d  $bp  0IQ3t  pi^qoj^ 
tmtit  mooiuneiit  of  public  gratiti^.  Lpr4  Ckf^thw^f  vyb^' 
ever  might  be  theeause,  did  not  lopg  Q9npi(\np  in  p^c^; 
fae  resigiied  die  place  of  lord  privy  fte^l  pn  tbe  pdpf  t^o- 
veratKer,  I7£t,  arid  k  was  tbe  laat  pid^ii;c  empfqyiBenjt  which 
he  ever  accepted.  He  does  not  indeed  appis^  jto  b4V.a 
been  desirous  of  returning  to^ofiSce*  He/w99  ^Q^^i^ty  ; 
and  the  goHi,.  by  winch  be  bad  hi^mi  long  ^Aict^d^  b^d 
become  too  frequent  and  violent  in  its  attacks,  to  siif^^  of 
close  ior  r^uiar  appiicaj^ion  ia  jbusinesi.  fp  tbp  p^rvals 
of  bis  disorder  he  comipued  oiscaj^ionaUy  to  eKC^t  bi^9<&lf» 
on  qpeations  gH  great  msgnicfide,  and  w^  par|j(Ci;lar)^ 
streno^Npa  ia  1775,  aiid  the  etoanii^g  yi&ars,  ag^/^t  tb0 
loaeasares  pursued  by  the  nuni^^jters  in  U2»3  cpn/t^^  yvitji 
Ameii^. '  Nevertheless^  in  all  tbJAgs  kii  m^^^Hl^d  bis 
native  apirit.     When  FraAce  began  tp  ipA^fof^  ip  Ib^ 


«  PITT. 

contesty  be  fired  with  indignation  at  the  insult ;  and  wheA^ 
in  1778;,  it  was  thdught  necessary,  after  the  repeated  mis- 
fortunes of  the  war,  to  acknowledge  the  incjependence  of 
America,  he  summoned  up  all  the  strength  that  remained 
within  hini,  to  pour  out  his  disapprobation  of  a  measure  so 
inglorious.  He  did  so  in  a  speech  of  considerable  energy^ 
and  being  answered  in  the  course  of  the  debate  by  the 
duke  of  Richmond,  seemed  agitated  with  a  desire  to  re- 
ply :  but  when  he  attempted  to  rise,  the  effort  proved  too 
violent  for  his  debilitated  constitution,  and  he  sunk,  in  ^ 
kind  of  fit,  into  the  arms  of  those  who  were  near  him.  This 
extraordinary  scene  of  a  great  statesman,  almost  dying  in 
the  last  exertion  of  his  talents,  has  been  perpetuated  by  tbie 
pencil^  and  will  live  for  ever  in  the  memory  of  his  country- 
men. He  did  not  long  survive  this  effort.  This  debate  hap- 
pened on  the  Sth  of  April,  1778,  and  he  died  on  the  11th 
oiF  May  ensuing. 

All  parties  appeared  now  to  contend  to  do  honour  to  his 
memory  :  a  public  funeral  and  a  monument  in  Westminster 
abbey,  at  the  national  expence,  were  immediately  voted  by 
parliament,  and  his  majesty  was  addressed  to  settle  upon 
bis  family  ^*  such  a  lasting  provision  as  he  in  his  wisdom 
and  liberality  should  think  fit,  as  a  mark  of  the  sense  the 
nation  entertains  of  the  services  done  to  this  kingdom  by 
that  able  Statesman.''  A  pension  of  4,000/.  a-year  was  ac^- 
cordingly  appointed  by  his  majesty,  out  of  the  civil  list 
revenue,  and  confirmed  in  per[^tuity  by  parliament,  to  the 
heirs  of  the  earl  of  Chatham,  to  whom  the  title  should  de- 
scend. The  monument  raised  to  his  memory  is  highly 
worthy  of  the  occasion,  being  perhaps  the  noblest  effort  of 
British  sculpture.  His  figure  appears  upon  it,  -  at  full 
length,  in  his  parliamentary  robes,  and  in  the  attitude  of 
speaking ;  the  accompaniments  are  grand  and  appropriate, 
and  the  inscription  has  a  simple  dignity,  much  more  im- 
pressive than  any  pomp  of  words,  announcing  merely, 
that  the  king  and  parliament  have  paid  this  tribute  to  hisf 
merits. 

The  principal  outlines  of  lord  Chatham's  character,  sa- 
gacity, promptitude,  and  energy,  will  be  perceive^d  iu  the 
foregoing  narrative.  The  peculiar  powers  of  his  eloquence 
have  been  characterized  since  his  death  in  language  which 
will  convey  a  forcible  idea  of  it  to  every  reader.  "  They 
who  have  been  witnesses  to  the  wonders  of  his  eloquence, 
who  have  listened  to  the  music  of  his  voice^  or  trembled 


PITT.  7 

tt  itft  majesty;  who  have  seen  the  persuasive  gracefulness 
of  bis  action,  or  have  felt  its  fqrce ;  they  who  have  caught 
the  flame  of  eloquence  from  his  eye,  who  have  rejoiced  in. 
the  glories  of  his  countenance,  or  shrunk  from  his  frown^, 
will  jremember  the  resiistless  power  with   which   he  ioir 

Eressed  conviction.     But  to  those  who  have  never  seen  or 
eard  this  accomplished  orator,  the  utmost  effort  of  imagi- 
nation will  be  necessary,  to  form  a  just  idea  of  that  com- 
bination of  exceiltfnce,  which  gave  perfection  to  bis  elo* 
quence.     His  elevated  aspect,  commanding  the  awe  and 
mute  attention  of  all  who  beheld  him,  while  a  certain  grace 
in  bis  manner,  arising  from  a  consciousness  of  the  dignity 
of  bis  situation,  of  the  solemn  scene  in  which  he  acted,  as 
well  as  of  his  own  exalted  character,  seemed  to  ^cjsnow- 
ledge  and  repay  the  respect  which  he  received. — ^This  ex- 
traordinary personal  dignity,  supported  on  the  basis  of  his 
well-earned   fame,  a^t  oqce  acquired  to  his  opinions  an 
assent,  which  is  slowly  given  to  the  arguments  of  oth^r 
men.     His  assertions  rose  into  proof,  his  foresight  became 
prophecy.^— No  clue  was  necessary  to  the  labyrinth  illumi- 
nated  by  bis  geuius.     Truth  came  forth  at  bis  bidding, 
and  realised  the  wish  of  the  philosopher  ;  she  was  seen,. and 
beloved.^' — We  have  omitted  some  parts  of  this  spirited 
character  because  not  written  with  equal  judgment :  but 
the  result  pf  the  whole  is,  that  while  he  sought,  with  inde- 
fatigable diligence,  the  best  and  purest  sources  of  politi- 
cal information,  be  had  a  mind  which  threw  new  lights  upon 
every  topic,  and  directed  him  with  more  certainty  than  any 
adventitious  aid.      Another  account  of  bis  extraordinary 
powers,  more  concise,  but  drawn  with  wonderful  spira,  is 
attributed  to  the  pen  of  Mr.  Wilkes.     '^  He  was  born  an 
orator,  and  from  nature  possessed  every  outward  requisite 
to  bespeak  respect,  and  even  awe.     A  manly  figure,  with 
the  e^gje  eye  of  the  famous  Cond6,  fixed  your  attention, 
and  abnost  coipmanded  reverence  the  moment  he  appeared ; 
and  the  keen  lightnings  of  his  eye  spoke  the  high  spirit 
of  his  soul,  before   his   lips   had  prpnounced  a  syllable. 
There  was  a  kind  of  fascination  in  his  look  when  he  eyed 
any  one  askance.     Nothing  could  withstand  the   force  of 
that  contagion.    The  fluent  Murray  has  faultered,  and  even 
Fox    (afterwards  lord    Holland)    shrunk    back    appalled, 
from  an  adversary,  ^  fraught  with  fire  unquenchable,'  if  I 
may  borrow  the  expression  of  our  great  Milton.     He  had 
Dot  tbe  correctness  pf  language  so  striking  in  the  great 


g  PITT. 

ftditt^il  oMi^r  (#6  fUajr  sidd,  and  in  his  soti),  but  be  hacl 
the  verba  ardenHa^  the  b(rid  gtoivlng  W6rds.**--»L<Mrd  Cbei* 
iferfi^ld  hd»  givM  a  indre  gendrAl  ptetnre  ^  hb  ehaii^ter,- 
16  th6  following  W6rds :  '*  Mr.  Pift  im^  his  riie  to  the" 
jit(Mt  ccta^ideHtbiC!  post  iifid  power  ift  thk  kingdom,  »ingif 
tb  his  ovrii  dhilities.  In  him  thej  ftupplied  the  w«nt  of 
birth  ftiid  fdttDne,  whieh  latter,  in  others  too  often  ^opply- 
tibo  vratlt  o^  the  Fortfier.  He  was  k  younger  brother^  of  a 
v^f^  new  hthWfy  and  bis  fortone  was  only  an  annoity  of 
6t\6  biiildred  pounds  a-ye^r.  Xhe  artny  wai  his  original 
destiriation,  aOd  a  cometcy  of  horse  hi^  first  and  only 
coMmissiotl  iO  it  Thoft  Onatelsted  by  favour  or  fOrtnne, 
be  bad  no  f^owl!fftil  protector  to  introdne^  bim  into  bnsl« 
D^ss,  ^tid  (if  1  tnsiy  Use  that  eicpre^^ion)  to  do  the  bo*- 
nOUrft  of  bis  pktis ;  bnt  tbeif  oWn  strength  was  fully  suft* 
di^ni.  tli^  constiitktion  reftfsed  bim  the  nsn^l  pleasnres, 
and  bis  gtoi.ud  ferbtd  bidi  tbe  idle  dissipations  Of  yontb  ; 

tot  80  darly  ds  ^t  the  ap  of  riiteen  he  was  tbe  martyr  of 
ab  hereditary  gout.  He  thei'efore  employed  tbe  leisure 
which  that  tedious  and  painful  distemper  either  proeured 
or  allowed  bim,  in  Sicquiring  k  great  fiind  of  pngmatnre 
ahd  Useful  knowledge.  Thub  by  tbe  unaeeountable  rek«- 
tioo  of  causes  kiid  effects,  wbitt  seented  th^  greatest  mts^ 
fbrtuoe  of  his  life,  was  perhaps  tbe  prinoipal  cause  of  its 

splebdOf.  His  private  life  Was  stained  by  no  rice,  nor 
silllied  by  any  meanness.  All  bis  sentiments  were  liberal 
ahd  elevated.  His  ruling  passion  was  an  unbounded  ambi» 
tioO,  which,  when  supported  by  gteat  abilities,  and  crowned 
With  great  success,  makes  what  tbe  world  calls  a  great  man. 
He  \^a8  haughty,  imperious,  impatient  of  contradiction, 
and  Overbearing;  qualities  which  toO  often  accompany, 
but  always  Clog  great  ones.  He  had  manners  and  address/ 
but  one  might  discover  tfavough  them  too  great  a  conscious- 
ness of  his  Own  superior  talents.  He  was  a  most  agreeable 
and  lively  cbm^ianiou  in  social  life,  and  bad  such  a  tersa^ 
tility  of  wit,  that  he  Would  adapt  itto  all  sorts  of  eonver^ 
satiob.  He  had  also  a  most  happy  turn  to  poetry,  but  be 
seldom  indulged,  ahd  seldom  avowed  it.  He  came  young 
into  parliament,  and  upon  that  tbeatie  be  soon  equalled 
the  oldest  aiid  the  ablest  actors.  His  efoquence  was  of  every 
kind,  and  he  excelled  ita  the  argumentative,  as  well  as  in 
the  declamatory  way.  But  bis  invectives  were  terrible, 
and  uttered  with  such  energy  of  diction,  and  sutch  dignity 

of  action  and  countenance,  that  he  intimMated  those  wfac^ 


p  I  T  t: 

werd  the  mosl  willing  and  best  able  to  ehcofanter 
Their  arms  fell  OQt  of  tbeir  bands,  and  tbey  shrunk  under 
the  ascendant  vrbich  his  genius  gained  over  theirs.*'  As  a 
proof  of  this  wonderful  power,  it  is  related  that  sir  Robert 
Walpc^e  scarcely  heard  the  aoond  of  his  voice  in  the  House 
of  Commons,  when  he  was  alarmed  and  thunder-struck.  He 
told  his  fnends,  that  be  would  be  glad  at  any  rate,  '^  to 
muzzle  that  terrible  cornet  of  horse/'  That  minister  would, 
have  promoted  his  rise  in  the  army,  if  be  would  have 
given  up  his  seat  in  the  house. 

A  small  volume  has  recently  been  published  by  lord 
Grenville,  containing  letters  from  lord  Chatham  to  his 
nepbew,  the  late  Thomas  Pitt,  lord  Camelford,  replete  with 
excellent  advice,  in  an  easy,  affectionate,  and  not  inele^ 
gant  style.  In  early  life  it  has  been  noticed  that  be  had  a 
turn  for  poetry,  which  occupations  of  greater  moment  in* 
terrupted.  Lord  Orford,  and  his  able  continuator  Mr.  Parky 
have  mentioned  a  few  of  his  verses. ' 

PITT  (William),  second  son  of  the  preceding,  and  his' 
legitimate  successor  in  political  talents  and  celebrity,  waa 
born  May  28,  1759.  He  was  educated  at  home  under  the 
immediate  eye  of  his  father,  who,  as  he  found  him  very 
early  capable  of  receiving,  imparted  to  him  many  of  the 
principles  which  had  guided  his  own  political  conduct,  and 
in  other  respects  paid  so  much  attention  to  his  education 
that  at  the  age  of  fourteen,  he  was  found  fully  qiiahfied  for 
the  university ;  and  accordingly,  was  then  entered  of  Pem<- 
broke-hall,  Cambridge,  where  he  was  distinguished  alike 
for  the  closeness  of  his  application,  and  for  the  success  o€ 
his  efforts,  in  attaining  those  branches  of  knowledge  to 
which  Jiis  studies  were  particularly  directed ;  nor  have 
many  young  men  of  rank  passed  through  the  probation  of 
an  university  with  a  higher  character  for  morals,  abilities, 
industry,  and  regularity.  He  was  intended  by  his  father 
for  the  bar  and  the  senate,  and  his  education  was  regulated 
so  as  to  embrace  both  these  objects.  Soon  after  he  quitted 
the  university,  he  went  to  the  continent,  and  passed  a 
abort  time  at  Rbeims,  the  capital  of  Champagne.  The 
death  of  his  ittustrious  father,  while  he  was  in  his  I9tfa 
year,  eould  not  fail  to  cast  a  cloud  over  the  prospects  of  a 

^  Pwotjliag  edilioii  of  thic'  Dictiwiary,  from  ▼wriout  tour^^et.— Collias*« 
Peerage,  by  sir  £.  Brydges. — AsDual  Register,  passim. — A  life  of  lord  Chathant 
VM  ]NibfaBbed  m  three  Tolumes,  octa:To,  by  Atimm  the  beolnetler  j  but  is  a 
FmS^Md  .aMSgo  of  party  aboK,  deststiHe  af  tauy  aoitbsBtioity* 


^"il 


>■  ' 


lO  PITT. 

younger  son,  but  the  foundation  was  laid  of  those  quali* 
ties  which  would  enable  him  to  clear  the  path  tO: eminence- 
by  his  own  exertions.     He  had  already  entered  himself  a 
student  of  Lincoln^s  Inn,  and  as  soon  as  he  was  of  age,  in 
1780y  he  was  called  to  the  bar,  went  the  western  circuit 
once,  and  appeared  in  a  few  causes  as  a  junior  counsel*. 
His  success  during  this  short  experiment  was  thought  to  be 
such  as  was  amply  sufficient  to  encourage  him  to  pursue 
his  legal  career,  and  to  render  him  almost  certain  of.ob- 
taining  a  high  rank  in  his  profession,     A  seat  in  parlia-r 
ment,  however,  seems  to  have  given  his  ambition  its.  pro- 
per direction,  and  at  once  placed  him  where  he.  was  best 
qualified  to  shine  and  to  excel.     At  the  general  election  iu 
1780,  he  had  been  persuaded  to  offer  himself  as  a  candi* 
date  to  represent  the  university  of  Cambridge,  but  finding 
that  his  interest  would  not  be  equal  to  carry  the  election^ 
be  declined  the  contest,  and  in  the  following  year  was, 
through  the  influence  of  sir  James  Luwtber,  returned  for 
the  borough  of  Appleby.     This  was  during  the  most  violent 
period  of  political  opposition  to  the  American .  war,  to 
which  Mr.  Pitt,  it  may  be  supposed,  had  an   hereditary 
aversion*     He  was  also,  as  most  young  men  are,  captivated 
by  certain  theories  on  the  subject  of  political  reform,  which 
were   to  operate  as  a  remedy  for  all  national  disasters. 
Among  others  of  the  more  practical  kind,  Mr.  Burke  iiad, 
at  the  commencement  of  the  session,  brought  forward  hi^ 
bill  for  making  great  retrenchments  in  the  civil  list.     On 
this  occasion   Mr.  Pitt,  on  the  26th   of  February,    1781, 
made  his  first  speech  in  the  British  senate.     The  attention 
of  the  buuse  was  naturally  fixed  on  the  son  of  the  illustrious 
Chatham,  but  in  a  few  moments  the  regi^rds  of  the  whole, 
audience  were  directed  to  the  youthful  orator  on  his  own 
account.     Unembarrassed  by  the  novelty  of  the  situation 
in  which  he  had  been  so  lately  placed,  he  delivered  him- 
self with  an  ease,  a  grace,  a   richness   of  expression,  a 
soundness  of  judgment,  a  closeness  of  argument,  and  ^ 
classical  accuracy  of  language,  which  not  only  answered, 
but  exceeded,  all  the  expectations  which  had  been  formed 
of  him,  and  drew  the  applauses  of  both  parties.     During 
the  same  and  the  subsequent  session^  be  occasionally  rose 
to  give  his  sentiments  on  public  afiairs,'  and  particularly  on 
parliamentary  reform.     This  he  urged  with  an  enthusiastn 
which  he  had  afterwards  occasion  to  repent;  for  when  more 
mature  Consideration  of  the  subject,  had  convinced  him 


4 
1 


■'.■^ 


PITT.  11 


ib9t  the  expedient  was  neither  safe  nor  useful,  be  was  con-* 
sidered  as  an  apostate  from  bis  early  professions.  As  a 
public  speaker,  however,  it  was  soon  evident  that  be  was 
destined  to  act  a  high  ptirt  on  the  political  stage;  yet, 
although  be  seemed  to  go  along  generally  with  the  party, 
in  opposition  to  lord  North,  he  had  not  otherwise  much 
associated  with  them,  and  therefore  when,  on  the  dissolu- 
tion of  lord  North*s,  a  new  one  was  formed,  at  the  head  of 
which  was  the  marquis  of  Rockingham,  Mr.  Pittas  name 
did  not  appear  on  the  list.  Some  say  he  was  not  invited 
to  take  a  share ;  others,  that  be  was  offered  the  place  of  a 
lord  of  the  treasury,  which  he  declined,  either  from  a  con- 
sciousness that  he  was  destined  for  a  higher  station,  or  that 
he  discerned  the  insecurity  of  the  new  ministers.  Their 
first  misfortune  was  the  death  of  the  marquis  of  Rocking- 
ham, which  occasioned  a  fatal  breach  of  union  between 
them,  respecting  the  choice  of  a  new  head.  Of  this  the 
earl  of  Shelburne  availed  himself,  and  in  July  1782,  having, 
with  a  part  of  the  former  members,  been  appointed  first 
lord  of  the  treasury,  associated  Mr.  Pitt,  who  had  just 
completed  his  2Sd  year,  as  chancellor  of  the  exchequer. 
A  general  peace  with  America,  France,  Spain,  &c.  sooti 
followed,  which  was  made  a  ground  Of  censure  by  a  very 
powerful  opposition ;  and  ia  April  1783,  the  famous  coali- 
tion ministry  took  the  places  of  those  whom  they  had  ex*- 
pelled.  Mr.  Pitt,  during  his  continuance  in  office,  had 
found  little  opportunity  to  distinguish  himself,  otherwise 
than  as  an  able  defender  of  the  measures  of  administration, 
and  a  keen  animadverter  upon  the  principles  and ,  conduct 
of  his  antagonists ;  but  a  circumstance  occurred  which  con- 
stitutes the  first  great  sera  in  his  life.  Thiii,  indeed,  was 
the  eventual  cause  not  only  of  his  return  to  office,  but  of 
bis  possession  of  a  degree  of  authority  with  the  king,'  and 
of  popularity  with  the  nation,  which  has  rarely  been  the 
4ot  of  any  minister,  and  which  he  preserved,  without  in- 
terruption, to  the  end  of  his  life,  although  his  character 
^s  supposed  to  vary  in  many  respects  from  the  opinion 
th^t  had  been  formed  of  it,  and  although  he  was  never 
known  to  stoop  to  the  common  tricks  of  popularity.  The 
coalition  adininistration,  of  which  some  notice  has  been 
taken  in  our  accounts  of  Mr.  Burke  and  Mr.  Fox,  was,  in 
its  formation,  most  revolting  to  the  opinions  of  the  people. 
Its  compositioii  was  such  as  to  afford  no  hopes  of  future 
)»enefit  to   the  nation,    and    it    was    therefore  narrowly 


It  p  It  t. 

watched  as  a.  combination  for  self-interest.  While  tht 
public  was  indulging  such  suspicions,  Mr^  Fox  introduced 
his  famous  bill  for  the  regulation  of  the  affairs  of  Ipdla^  tb^ 
leading  provision  of  which  was  \o  v^st  the  whole  manage^ 
ment  of  the  ailairs  of  the  East  India  company,  iu  seven 
eommissioners  named  in  the  act,  and  to  be  appointed  by 
the  ministry.  It  was  in  vain  thai,  thlswaa  represented  as  a 
measure  ahke  beneficial  to  the  company  and  to  the  nation  ; 
the  public  considered  it  as  trenching  too  mueb  On  the  pre- 
fogative^  as  creating  a  mass  of  ministerial  influence  whiek 
would  be  irresistible,  and  as  rendering  the  ministry  toe 
strong  for .  the  crown.  Mr.  Pitt,  who,  In  this  instance, 
had  rather  to  follow  than  to  guide  the  [Hiblie  opinion^ 
unfolded  the  hidden  mystery  of  the  vast  iaiass  of  pa* 
tronage  which  this  bill  would  give,  painted  in  the  most 
glowing  colours  its  danger  to  the  crown  and  people  on  one 
nand,  and  to  the  company  on  the  other,  whosel*  chartered 
rights  were  thus  forcibly  violated.  The  alarm  thus  be- 
coaling  general,  although  the  bill  passed  Che  House  of 
Commons  by  the  influence  which  tim  ministers  still  po3«- 
sessed  in  that  ^ssembly^  it  was  rejected  in  the  House  of 
Lords. 

To  reconcile  themselves  to  this  disappointment,  and 
perhaps  to  regajn  ground  .with  the  j)ublic,  the  ministers 
lodustriQusiy  circulated  the  report  that  the  bill  owed  its  re- 
jection to  secret  intrigue  atid  undue  influence.  It  was  said 
t^at  lord^  Temple,  afterwards  the  marquis  ,of  Buckinghatm, 
dad  demanded  a  private  audience  of  his  majesty,  and  re- 
presented the  danger  iti  such  alight,  that  direciiofis  were 
sent  to  ail  (he  noblemen  connected  with  the  court  to  vote 
against  it.  This,  hxiwever,  had  it  been  true  iii  it»  full  ex- 
tent, made  no  difference  in  the  public  opinion^  In  a  case 
of  such  danger,  a  departure  from  the  ordiirary  forms  was 
not  thought  to  bear  any  unfriendly  aspect  to  the  welfare 
of  the  state;  and  some  were  of  opinion  that  all  which  lord 
Temple  was  supposed  to  communicate,  must  have  already 
occurred  to  his  majesty^s  reflection.  The  consequence, 
however,  was,  that  tfa^  ministry  resigned  their  places,  aud 
in  the  new  arrangement,  Mr.  Pitt,  whosfe  fitness  for  office 
was  no  longer  a  doubt,  was  made  first  lord  of  the  treasury, 
and  chancellor  of  the  exchequer. 

His  appearance,  at  the  early  age  of  twenty-four  in  this 
Ingfa  character,  was  as  mucb  applauded  on  the  part  Of  the 
nation  at  large,  as  it  was  ridiculed  and. despised  hy  bis 


PITT.  IS 

epponleats,  as  the  Wrbgafit  «stumption  of  a  i^ipltfig  mfibo  > 
o^d  to  JEKCcident  of  intrigue,  what  a  few  iveeks  or  morrtbt 
mkitt  berDaraly  deprivte  l^itn  of.  For  fiome  time,  iodeed^  all 
\lm  aetoted  nofc  very  iriaprobabl^.  T4m  adJMrents  of  the 
€oalttloii*Diiiit8tryy  in  tbe  House  of  Comaions,  had  taffered 
no  igf&x  dkniiiikion,  and  foraied'  yet  ao  considerable  a 
najority,  that  when  Mr.  Pitll;  ivtrodDced  his  own  biU  into 
the  House  for  die  reflation  of  IwlAk  affam,  it  was  re«- 
'  ^ted  by  22dfc  against  1214.  In  tins  stale  matteifs  vemaiiMd 
^  some  itBOiithsy  ^daring  wbioh  m^etrnngs  nvene  held-  of  the 
ieading  men  off  both  psrrtiiesi,  *with  a  vrew  to  a  general  ai> 
comiDodatiot) ;  bot  as  Mr.  Pittas  previotts  i^esignativii  *waa 
ddoaanded  as  a  sine  qua  non,  be  detsemtned  to  acHieve  ia 
tbe  utmost  e^remity  to  the  sovereign  by  whom  he  had 
•been 'called  into  office,  and  the  peop^  by  whom  hie' found 
Irirtiself  sapported.  After  mafny  onavaihng  efforts^  tfaene>- 
fore,  he 'determined  on  a  dteip  wsbieh^  had  his  oaase  been 
hss  popcAstj  mght  h^ve  been  fetal  to  his  tfo?ereign  as  well 
m  to  himself. ,  This  was  a  dissolution  of  psrliaaient,  wfaiok 
took  >pl ace  in  the  month  ^f  March  1784;  aAd  althougk 
during*  fbe  ^gen^ral  ^election  the  ooonnry  was  ihrown,  by 
the  struggles  df  ^tbe  tparttes,  into  a  greatser  degree  of  poliu 
tical  beat  and  iprttation  than  ever  was  known,  and  although 
•some  of  his  hig^her  opponents  greatly  embarrassed  their 
estates  and  families  l^y  the  md^t  wasteful  escpendttare,  in 
order  to,  secure  the  return  of  their  friends,  above  thirty  of 
this  latter,  all'oien  of  consideration,  werethrow^n  out,  and  %be 
minister  was  enabled  to  meet  the  new  ^parliament  wkh  a 
decided  majority,  including  atmoat  the  wliole  of  that  clasB 
Hiat  had  tbe  credit  of  patriotism  and  independence,  but 
certainly  exoludirng  a  mass  of  ^talent  such  as  few  ministers 
have  had  to 'encounter. 

The 'first  important  measure  introduced  linto  this  parlia- 
ment was  the  India  Bill  rejected  by  the  last, which  was.p;itoed; 
and,  with  some  few  alterations,  eonstitutes  the  system  by' 
Which  the  afiairs  of  the  EiKst  India  company  have  ever  ^sinee 
been  Aianaged.  Another  important  plan,  executed >by  Mr. 
Pitt,  was  that  for  the  prevention  df> smuggling.  This, 'in 
•Ul  branches  df  the  revenue,  occupied  ibis  iatiention  fbr 
sdme  years  afterwicrds,  but  his  present  ol^je^twasubeifrauds 
-an  the  revenue  in  the  article  of  tea,  which  he' obviated  by 
what  was  called  fbe 'Commutation  A«t,  which  took  off  the 
pcinoipdl  duties  from  tea,  and  supplied  the  deficiency  by^a 
kiye  ^tdditioo  to  ttie  window^'taJt.    This,  if  we  remember 


14  P  I  T  i*. 

right,  was  the  first  circumstance  which  oeeasioned  sdme 
murmuring)  and  it  was  the  first  instance  in  which'  Kfr; 
Pitt  showed  that  he  was  not  to  be  diverted  from  what  h^' 
conceived  would  be  generally  a  benefit,  by  any  dread'  of 
the  loss  of  popularity.  If  at  this  time  he  seems  ambitious 
of  any  distinctive  ministerial  character,  it  was  that  of  an 
able  and  successful  minister  of  finance ;  and  there  caiinot 
be  a  more  decided  proof  of  bis  having  attained  that  honour, 
than  that  his  plans  are  still  operating,  and  have  enabled 
the  country  to  sustain  for  upwards  of  twenty  years  a  war 
of  unexampled  expence,  and  at  the  same  time  to  supiport 
feebler  nations  in  recovering  their  independence  from  a 
tyranny  to  which  they  were  thought,  to  be  irreversibly 
doomed. 

In  1786,  when  few  could  have  foreseen  its  future  im- 
portance, he  introduced  a  bill  for  setting  apart  a  mitKon 
annually  for  the  purchase  of  stock,  which  sum  was  to  be 
augmented  by  the  interest  of  the  stock  so  purchased.  Per- 
severance in  this  plan,  with  occasional  improvements,  has 
already,  amidst  all  the  pressure  of  public  burdens,  extin-* 
guished  between  two  and  three  hundred  millions  of  debt, 
and  produced  a  very  considerable  revenue  to  be  applied  to 
the  same  purpose.  These  efiects  his  enemies  are  ready  to 
acknowledge,  but  with  a  view  to  detract  from  his  merit, 
they  tell  us  that  this  was  the  least  efficient  of  three  plans 
given  fo  him  by  Dr:  Richard  Price,  and  that*  for  such  an 
obligation  h^  did  not  think  it  worth  his  while  to  make  the 
smallest  public  acknowledgement.  Whatever  may  be  in 
this,  the  general  system  of  finance  now  established  was 
soon  powerfully  aided  by  various  alterations  in  the  mode 
of  collecting  taxes,  and  by  a  commercial  treaty  with  France, 
concluded  in  1787,  so  much  in  favour  of  our  merchants, 
as  to  occasion  considerable  dissatisfaction  among  those  of 
France. 

Among  the  subsequent  measures,  in  which  Mr.  Pitt  was 
personally  concerned,  we  may  notice  his  acceding  to  the 
impeachment  of  Mr.  Hastings  ;  and  his  joining  in  the  sup- 
port of  the  established  church  by  opposing  the  repeal  of 
the  Test  and  Corporation  Acts,  in  both  which  he  agreed 
with  the  majority,  although  in  the  latter  he  disappointed 
the  hopes  of  the  various  sects  of  dissenters.  His  inter- 
ference also  to  preserve  the  power  of  the  Stadtholder  in 
Holland,  was  a  popular  measure.  But  he  was  less  suc- 
.cessful  in  two  other  instances  of  interference  in  continental 


PITT.  1^ 

politic^,  the  one  to  check  the  aggrandizement  of  Russia 
under  the  empress  Catherine,  which  the  parliament  forced 
him  to  abandon  ;  and  the  other  a  dispute-  with  Spain  re^- 
tpecting  the  fur-trade  at  Nootka  Sound,  which  was  equally 
uopopular,  and  a(  length  was  adjusted  by  a  convention. 

The  second  great  «ra  of  Mr.  PitOs  public  life  was  now 
approaching,  in  which  his  power  and  popularity  arose  to 
the  greatest  height  in  the  very  moment  when  in  all  human 
.probability  he  was  ahout  to  be  deprived  of  both.     In  the 
autumn  of  1788,  the  country  was  thrown  into  a  state  of 
alarm  by  a  calamity  which  rendered  his  majesty  incapabfe 
( of  exercising  the  royal  functions.     Parliament  having  been 
prorogued  to  Nov.  20,  it  became  necessary  it  should  meet 
.  that  day,  as  the  sovereign,  by  whom  only  it  could  be  fur* 
ther  prorogued,  was  not  in  a  situation  to  assert  his  prero- 
gative.    In  the  mean  time,  the  leaders  of  the  different 
parties  who  were  interested  in  the  event,    assembled  in 
the. capital;  and  an  express  was  dispatched  to  Mr«  Fox^ 
jthen  absent  on  the  continent,  to  accelerate  his  return. 
•This  occurrence  gave  occasion  to  a  display  of  the  firmness 
.  and  decision  of  Mr.  Pitt's  character.     In  this  article  we 
cannot  enter  into  many  particulars ;  but  we  may  observe, 
that  the  6r3t  material  question  brought  up  by  this  event 
was,  in  whom  the  office  of  regent  was  vested  ?    The  prince 
of  Wales  being  then  connected  with  the  party  in  opposi- 
tion, Mr.  Foxx6ntended  that  the  regency  devolved  upon 
him  as  a  matter  of  course ;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  Mr. 
Pitt  supported  the  doctrine,,  that  it  lay  in  the  two  remain-' 
iug  branches  of  the  legislature  to  fill  up  the  office,  as  they 
should  j.udge  proper;  admitting,  at  the  same  time,  that  no 
other  person  than  the  prince  could  be  thought  of  for  the 
office.     By  adopting  this  principle,  he  carried  with  him 
the  concurrence  as  well  of.  those  who  were  attached  to  the 
popular  part  of  the  constitution,  as  of  the  king's  friends^ 
whose  great  object  was  to  secure  his  return  to  power,  on 
the  cessation  of  his  malady ;  and  he  was  enabled  to  pass  a 
bill,  greatly  restricting  the  power  of  the  regent,  which  his 
majef^ty's  timely  recovery  in  the  beginning  of  1789  ren- 
dered unnecessary ;  but  such  was  the  general  conviction  of 
.  its  propriety,  that  on  a  subsequent  more  melancholy  occa* 
sLon,  the  minister  of  the  day,  Mr.  Perceval,  found  no  great 
difficulty  in  reviving  it,  and  it  became  the  rule  of  the  pre- 
.  sent,  regency.     Mr.  Pitt  was  npw  left  to  pursue  his  plans 
of  internal  economy,  without  those  iuterruptions  to  which 


16  PIT  T* 

bt  famd  kteijr  i>een  snii^ted.  He  hwi  veoeived,  daring 
the  discuwions  on  tb«  regeney,  very  decisive  tokens  of 
^esteem  from  fnany  of  the  gveat  public  bodies  in  tbe  kmg^ 
domi;  »i^d  he  iiad  the  souidactioii  of  kooiwuig,  that  tbe 
firm  End  steady  condxct  vvinch  he  obs^ved,  on  a  question 
pecniiarly  caicnUrted  ^  try  the  imneMy  steadiness,  and 
voonsisteficy  of  a  public  obaracter,  had  lObtauied  for  bim,  in 
a  irery  marberi  manner,  tbe  'confidence  of  tbeir  majesties, 
and  greatly  increased  bis  popularity  tbrotugfhout  tbe  nation. 
Tbe  third  ^reat  asra  in  Mr.  PktVlife,  and  which,  ibe-^ 
yimd  M  preceding  parts  of  hk  condoct,  will  determine  bis 
d»r3Cler  vAth  pofiteiuty,  was  tbe  French  oerolutioo,  «n 
event  the  most  momenitons  in  its  oonseqaences  that  nao- 
dern  histi»ry  pecends.  Hie  influence  of  tbis  'vast  conTul- 
sixni  cotfki  naiot  iye  viewed,  by  the  politiotan  and  tbe  minis* 
txfc  'df  a  'great  empite,  but  in  a  double  lig^ht,  as  exerted 
»pon  (France  itoeif,  and  4jpon  the  neighbouring  stakes.  I|i 
boA)  cases,  Mr.  Pvtt  took  up  the  opinion  tbat  it  afford^ 
just  «ause  for  jealousy,  and  he  was  the  more  st«!engthened 
in  ifbis  0pinton  ftom  observing  the  effects  which  ^  con- 
iduct  of  <he  French  bad  already  'psoduced  in  tbisoountry. 
'It  fis  dllow>ed  by  hM  enenwes  tbat  be  ^id  wot  precipitately 
rmh  into  war  ^with  France,  or  interfere  in  «he  ^iflEairs  of  that 
«otrntiy,  while  the  French  ^seemed  tobeoperatiti^a^change 
by  means  which  were  rational;  and  ^ile  their  only  dh- 
jectB  seemed  to  be  a  representative  government  and  a 
limited  monarchy.  It  was  >not  ^until'they  had  destroyed  tbe 
'fte0Aoa\  of  their  reprenents^ives  by  the  terrifyingiidfiuenoe 
iX/f  clubs  and  parties  more  powerful  than  tbeir  'legalised 
as^mblie^,  >and  otntil  they  had  dragged  tbeir  belpliesstfove- 
.teign  to  the  scaffold,  that  he  saw. the  danger  that  wouM 
ttocrue  to  evdf^  country  wfaeve  strch  measures  «bould  be 
x^oiisidered  as  a  preoed^trt.  In  England,  jft  might  have 
been  Ihought  that  the  ^enormities  whidh  pMceded -and  fol- 
lowed tbe  eKecotion  of  ^the  French  king,  would  bave  ex- 
ited (universal  'abhorrence ;  ttbat  a  morsil,  thinking,  and 
industrious  (people,  prosperous  beyond  till^otrher  nations  -in 
-arts  and  commerce,  cmd'secure  'beyond  {^Uxottbers  in  the 
'essentials  0f  liberty,  ^wouldbave  found  no  provocation  to 
imitate  the  most  inhuman  ^barbarities  of  tbe  darkest  ages. 
{t  aoon,  howe^ier,  appeared  tbftt  although  «tbe  majority  'Of 
*€he  nation  was  dispensed  to  ^contemplate  What  had  happened 
:in  ifiranee,  with  the  abhorreoee  it  was  -tiaturally  .ifitted  >lo 
^create,  a^party  was  arising,  'selected  iiiileed  fromi  the  lower 


pi^tt:  17 

ftncl  ilKterate  orders,  bat  guided  by  leaders  of  sofme  knoW* 
ledge,  arvd  of  great  activity  and  resolution,  who  teemed 
determined  on  a  close  imitation  of  all  the  licentiousness  o£ 
France,  and  whose  attacks  were  at  once  directed  against: 
tbe  throne,  the  state,  and  the  church.  For, some  time 
theit  sentiments  were  considerably  disguised.  They  af- 
fected moderation,  and  derived  too  much  countenance 
from  those  who  really  were  inclined  to  moderate  changes^ 
moderate  reforms ;  and,  with  no  little  art,  they  rerived 
the  popular  delusions  of  annual  parliaments  and  universal 
suffrage  ;  but  ikioderation  was  neither  the  characteristic  nor 
the  object  of  this  party  :  and  finding  themselves  for  some 
time  unnoticed  by  goremnient,  they  began  to  disdain  the 
protection  of  their  insignificance,  and  boldly  avowed  that 
they  did  not  mean  to  leave  the  accomplishment  of  theit 
projected  changes  to  any  of  the  legal  authorities.  In  imi« 
tation  of  the  Frencl>  clubs,  they  were  to  produce  the  effect 
by  self-created  societies  that  should  dictate  to  parliament, 
and  when  parliament  was  completely  overawed,  supply  its 
place. 

Such  were  tbe  effects  which  the  proceedings  in  France 
had  already  produced  in  England,  among  a  party,  which^ 
if  not  originally  numerous,  was  fast  increasing,  when  Mr; 
Pitt  thought  it  necessary  to  interfere.  In  taking  this  $tep 
he  was  accused  of  precipitation  and  of  severity  :  the  dan- 
gers he  dreaded  were  represented  as  in  a  great  measure 
imaginary  ;  and  the  plan  he  adopted  ^ls  said  to  be  preg* 
nant  with  mischief  to  the  freedom  of  the  press*  ft  ap- 
peared, however,  in  consequence  of  inquiries  instituted, 
that  had  he  exercised  a  longer  forbearance,  the  greatest  of 
the  dangers  he  apprehended  must  have  followed  in  regular 
progress.  Forbearance,  in  the  republican  language  of  the 
day,  was  ^^  timidity,  and  the  happy  consequence  of  the  vi^ 
gour  and  spirit  of  the  people.'*  It  was  time  therefore  to 
set  the  question  at  rest  by  appealing  to  the  nation  at  large; 
and  Mr  Pitt  had  no  sooner  begun  the  experiment  6f  check*- 
ing  a  licentiousness  so  dangerous  and  unprovoked,  than  he 
was  supported  by  the  general  mass  of  the  people,  who 
assembled  in  every  county,  city,  town,  and  village,  to 
testify  their  satisfaction  with  tbe  constitution  as  then  ad* 
ministered,*  and  'to  offer  their  lives  and  fortunes  in  support  ^ 
of  the  gorvernment  under  which  they  had  Sonrished.  It 
has  been  objected  to  Mr.  Pitt  by  his  opponents  tliat  iA 
s6me  instances  he  followed,  rather  than  produced^  public 

Vol.  XXV,  C 


18  PITT, 

opinion :  why  this  should  be  an  objection  with  those  woo 
hold  public  opinion  sacred,  we  know  not.  In  the  present 
instance,  however,  it  may  be  allowed  as  a  matter  of  fact, 
and  it  is  a  fact  very  honourable  to  the  people  of  England, 
that  he  had,  at  this  crisis^  only  to  anticipate  their  wishes, 
and  that  in  consequence  of  the  precautions  he  took,  harsh 
as  they  might  have  been  thought  at  any  other  time,  all  the 
dangers  of  internal  disturbance  gradually  disappeared,  and 
the  wild  theories  that  had  been  propagated  firom  the  presg 
either  appeared  ridiculous,  or  became  obsolete. 

With  respect  to  th^  origin  of  the  war  with  France,  there 
-  was  long  a  cdntroversy  turning  on  the  question,  whether  it 
might  not  have  been  avoided  by  Great  Britain  preserving 
her  relations  of  amity  with  the  republican  government  of 
that  nation.  The  party  in  opposition  to  Mr.  Pitt  contended 
that  this  .was  practicable,  and  the  minister  therefore  was 
long  censured  as  the  cause,  and  held  accountable  for  all 
the  consequences  of  that  war.  The  opinion  of  the  minister, 
however,  was,  that  enough  had  occurred  in  France  to  con- 
vince us  that  no  relations  of  amity  could  be  preserved  with 
a  country,  which  had  decreed  not  only  to  spread  its  anar- 
chical principles,  but  to  send  its  arms  to  every  people  that 
sought  its  assistance.  A  negociation,  indeed,  had  been 
opened  between  the  French  minister  in  this  country,  and 
lord  Grenville,  secretary  of  state,  but  was  conducted  on 
the  part  of  the  former  in  such  a  manner  as  to  prove  fruit- 
less. The  very  last  propositions  offered  by  the  French 
minister,  lord  Grenville  said,  involved  new  grounds  of 
offence,  which  would  prove  a  bar  to  every  kind  of  negocia* 
tion.  The  pretended  explanations,  his  lordship  added, 
were  insults  rather  than  concessions  or  apologies ;  and  the 
motives  which  had  induced  his  sovereign  to  prepare  for 
violent  extremities,  still  existed  in  full  force ;  nor  would 
the  preparations  he  discontinued  or  omitted,  ^^jwhile  the 
French  retained  that  turbulent  and  aggressive  spirit  which 
threatened  danger  to  every  nation  in  Europe. ^^  By  a  subse- 
quent communication  in  the  king's  name,  the  French  mi- 
nister was  ordered  to  quit  the  realm  within  eight  days. 
This  mandate  was  considered  by  the  French  as  equivalent 
io  a  declaration  of  war ;  and,  as  soon^  as  the  intelligence 
reached  Paris,  the  convention  declared  that  the  king  of 
Great  Britain,  and  the  Stadtholder  of  the  United  Provinces, 
were  to  be  treated  as  enemies  of  the  republic. 

What  has  beea  termed  the  system  or  the  principle  of 


*  PITT.  1» 

Mr.  Pitt  in  commencing  and  continuing  the  war  with 
France,  cannot  perhaps  be  better  e^opressed  than  in  the 
abbve  language  of  lord  Grenville.  Mr«  Pitt  considered  it 
as  our  duty  to  continue  it,  ^^  while  the  French  retained 
that  tutbulent  and  aggressive  spirit  whix^h  threatened  dan- 
ger to  every  nation  in  Europe/'  and  which  at  length  ac- 
tually destroyed  the  independence  of  every  nation  in  £u- 
k  rope,  and  ended  in  an  attempt  at  universal  empire^  and 

slavish  subjection  to  the  ruler  of  France.  It  was  Mr.  Pitt's 
opinion,  and  the  opinion  of  all  who  acted  with  hioif  of  the 
great  majority  of  parliament  and  of  the  people  at  large, 
that  no  peace  could  be  permanent  or  secure  with  France 
until  she  hiad  returned  to  her  proper  station  among  the  na« 
tions  of  Europe,  admitted  of  the  independence  of  other  na-' 
tions,  and  contented  herself  with  the  territories  she  pos« 
sessed  at  the  commencement  of  the  revolution.  On  this 
principle  the  war  was  instituted,  and  on  this  principle  it 
was  supported  at  a  risk  and  an  expense  beyond  all  prece- 
cbnt,  but  with  a  success  so  inadequate  to  prodilkce  the 
wished-fdr  result,  that  when  the  opposition  represented 
the  continuance  of  it  as  obstinacy  and  infatuation,  they 
seemed  to  speak  a  language  which  events  fully  justified. 
On  our  own  element,  our  success  was  so  great  as  to  raise 
the  character  of  our  navy  beyond  all  precedent;  under 
such  men  as  Howe,  St.  Vincent,  Duncan,  and  Nelson, 
the  navies  of  France,  Spain,  and  Holland  were  almost 
annihilated,  while  ours  bad  become,  humanly  speaking, 
invincible.  Mr.  Pitt  was  therefore  blamed  for  not  confin- 
ing biinself  to  a  naval  war,  and  his  sending  troops  to  join 
the  powers  of  Europe  in  league  against  France,  was  repre- 
sented as  a,  species  of  Quis^otism  which  would  soon  prove 
its, own  absurdity.  All  this  for  some  years  seemed  con- 
•  firmed  by. events. .  The  French  armies  not  only  out-num- 
bered those  sent  against  them,  but  acquired  a  military  skill 
absolutely  new  in  their  history.  So  freqi^ent  and  decisive 
were  their  victories  that  all  resistance,  seemed  in  vain,  and 
either  by  valour  or  treachery  they  were  enabled  to  dissolve 
every  confederapy  formed  against  them.  Still  the  English 
minister  saw  nothing  in  this  to  prove  his  original  opinion 
•to  be  wrong;  France,  he  conceived,  must  be  ruined  at 
last  by  successes  of  ^  which  she  did  not  know  how  to  make 
the  proper  use.  With  every  extension  of  territory,  she 
carried  a  portion  of  tyranny  and  a  system  of  plunder  and 
destruction,  that  must  one  day  escite  an  effectual  resist*^ 

c  2 


20  E  IT  T. 

ance  in  the  nations  which' sbe  bad  deloded  by  oflets  of 
liberty  and  friendship^-  Mr.  Pitt  and  his  supporters,  tbere;- 
fore,  persisted  in  die  opinion  that  France  miist  at  hist  yteU 
to  soihe  confederacy  or  other;  and  when  tbe  state  o£  £u«- 
rope  was  such  as  to  render  it  unwise  to  send  EngJisb  troops 
to  join  the  confederates,  he  conceived  that  no  better  use 
c6uld  be  made  of  the  annual  supplies  dian'to  subsidize  the 
powers  that  were  still  willing  to  take  the  field.  '  He  even 
determined  to  continue  the  struggle  when,  ia  1800,  Bona«- 
parte,  ttie  tnost  successful  of  the  French  generals,  had 
assumed  the  {sovereign  powder,  under  the  namd  of  codsiiI^ 
.  and  a4dressed  a  letter  to  our  king  intimatiog  a  desire  for 
peace.  The  answer  of  our  minister  was,  tfaait  it  would  be 
useless  to  negociate  while  the  French  seemed  to  cherish 
those  principles  which  had  involved  Europe  in  a  long  and 
destructive  war.  Anddltbough  be  gave  bis  assent  to  the 
«jtperimeiu  made  fay  Mr.  Addiiigton  in  ISOI^  to  conclude 
B  peace  with  the  French  goveranHent,  he'  soon  bad  reaatm 
to  revert  to  his  former  sentiments,  and:  when  recalled  into 
office  in  1 804,  again  exerted  all  the  vigour  of  his  charac- 
ter to  render  the  contest  successful. 

tfe  did  not,  however^  live  to  witness  diat  glorious  and 
wonderful  termination  which  was  at  last  brought  about  by  it 
contitidance  of  the  same  system  he  ail  alongpursued,  and 
'Which  finally  ended  in  the  conquest  of  France^  the  annibi*- 
lation  of  her  aroiies,  and  the  banishm^ent  of  her  ruler. 
The  last  event  of  importance  in  Mr«  Pitt-s  liie<-tiiiie  was 
the  fatal  battle  of  AusterlitE,  and  be  wait  at  this  time  in  a 
state  t)f  health  ill  calculated  to  meet  this  lArolce.  He  had, 
from  isin  early  period  of  life,  given  indicastions  of  inheriting 
his  father's  gouty  constitution,  with  his  talents,  and  it  had 
been  thought  nee€|ssary  to  make  the  liberal  use  of  wine  a 
part  of  his  ordinary  regimen,  a  stimulant  which,  added  to  « 
the  cares  and  exertions  of  office  during  bis  long  and  mo- 
mentous adminifftration,  broo^it  on  a  premature  exhaus- 
tion of  the  vital  powers.  In  December  1 8^5^  he  was*  re- 
commended to  go  to  Bath,  but  the  efaange^tiforded  him  no 
permanent  relief.  On  the  )  Uh  of  January  be  returned  to 
iiis  seat  at  Putney,  in  so  debilitated  a  state,  as'  to  require 
four  days  for  the  perlbriiaance  of  the  journey.  The  phy- 
aiclans,  even  yet,  saw  no  danger,  and  they  said  liiere  was 
no  disease,  but  great  weakness,  in  conseqiience  of  an  ai^ 
tack  of  the  gontk  On  the  following  Sunday  be  appeared 
better,  ^nd  entered  upon  some  points  of  public  business  with 


PITT,  Si 

Us  toHoigues  in  oftoe :  tbe  subject  wM-suppote^  to  relate 
to  the  dissolution  of  tbe  new  confederacyy  by  the  pea^e  of 
Presburgb^  which  greatly  agiMiled  ikm.  On  the  I7tb>  at 
a  consultation  of  his  physicians,  it  wa$  agreed,  that  though 
it  was  not  adfrisabte  be  i^ould  attend  j^  business  for  the 
next  two  mouths^  yet  there  W9»  hope  he  would  be  able  to 
take  a  part  in  the  House  of  CooMnqns  in  tbe  course  of  th^ 
winter.  On  tbe  20th,  however^  he  grew  .much  wor^e,  and 
his  medical  friends  now  saw  that  be  was  in  the  most  iqnmi* 
nent  danger,  and  that,  probably,  he  had  not  many  hours 
to  lire.  The  bishop  of  Lincoln^  who  never  left  him  during 
his  illness,  informed  bim  of  the  opinion  now  entertained 
by  sir  Walter  Far^bar,  and  requested  fee  administer  to 
him  the  consolations  of  religion.  Mr.  Pitt  asked  sir  WaU* 
ter,  who  stood  near  his  bed,  ^^  How  long  do  you  think  I 
have  to  live  ?"  The  physician  answered  that  he  could  not 
say,  at  the  same  time  he  expressed  a  faint  hope  of  his  re« 
covery.  A  half  smile  on  the  patient's  countenance  shewed 
that  he  placed  this  langu£^e  to  its  true  account.  In  an-> 
swer  to  the  bisbop^s  request  to  pray  with  bimy  Mr,  Fitt 
replied,  *^  I  fear  I  have,  like  too  many  other  men,  ne* 
glected  prayer  too  much,  to  have  anyground  for  hope  that 
it  can  be  efficacious  on  a  death-bed*-*but,*'  making  an 
effort  to  rise  as  he  spoke,  ^^  I  throw  myself  entirely  on  tbe 
mercy  of  God.''  The  bishop  then  read  the  prayers,  and 
ib.  Pitt  Appeared  to  join  in  them  with  a  calm  and  humble 
piety,  fle  desired  that  the  arrangement  of  his  papers  and 
the  settlement  of  his  affairs  might  be  left  to  his  brother 
and  tbe  bishop  of  Lincolu.  Adverting  to  his  nieces,  the 
daughters  of  earl  Stanhope  by  bis  elder  sister,  for  whom 
be  bad  manifested  tbe  sincerest  affection,  be  said,  ^'  t  could 
wisb>  a  thoiBand  or  fifteen  hundred  a«-year  to  be  given 
them ;  if  the  public  should  think  my  long  services  deserv- 
ing of  it."  He  expressed  also  much  anxiety  respecting 
major  Stanhope,  that  youthful  hero,  who  fell  a  sacrifice  to 
his. valour  at  Corunna,  in  company  with  bis  friend  and 
patron,  general  sir  John  Moore,  and  his  brother,  who  was 
also  at  Corunna  at  the .  same  time,  and  who  has  been  en- 
gaged in  all  the  great  battles  in  the  peninsula,  and  more 
than  once  severely:  wounded  in  his. country's  service.  Mr. 
Pitt  died  about  four  o'clock  in.  tbe  morniog  of  tbe  23d  of 
January  1806,  in  the  47th  year  of  his  age«  A  public  fu- 
neral was  decreed  to  his. honour  by  parliament,  and  40,P00/« 
to  pay  those  debts  which  be  had  incurred  in  his  country'^ 


M  i*  I  T-T. 

service. .  Public  momnnento  have  teen  «inoe  erected  to 
bis  memdry  in  Westminster-Abbef,  in  die  Guil^iall  of 
the  city  of  London,  and  by  nany  public  bodies  in  different 
parts  of  the  kingdom. 

In  this  sketch,  we  have  avoided  entering  into  those  de- 
tails which  belong  to  history,  although  convinced  that  Mr. 
Pitt's  character  as  a  statesman  can  never  be  duly  appreci- 
ated, if  detached  from  the  events  which  he  attempted  to 
controul.  Something  yet  remains  to  be  added  respecting 
his  personal  character. 

Mr.  Pitt  possessed  no  particular  advants^es  of  person  or 
physiognomy,  but  as  a  speaker  he  was  thought  to  be  with- 
out a  rival ;  such  was  the  happy  choice  of  his  words,  the- 

'judicious  arrangement  of  his  subject,  and  the  fascinating 
effect  of  a  perennial  eloquence,  that  bis  wonderful  powers 
were  acknowledged  even  by  those  who  happened  to  be 
prepossessed  against  his  arguments.  In  his  financial  speeches 
he  manii^ted  a  perspicuity,  eloquence,  and  tident,  aito^ 
gether  wonderful ;  which  carried  the  audience  along  with 
him  in  every  arithmetical  statement  left  no  calculation  ob- 

.  scure  or  ambiguous,  and  impressed  the  House,  at  its  close, 
with  tumultuous  admiration.  When  employed^  say  his  op- 
ponents, in  a  good  cause,  he  was  irresistible ;  and  in  a  bad 
one  he  could  dazzle  the  judgment,  lead  the  imagination 
captive,  and  seduce  the  heart,  even  while  the  mind  re- 
mained firm  and  unconvinced.  Yet  they  allow  that  al- 
though ambition  and  the  love  of  power  were  his  ruling 
passions,  his  mind  was  elevated  above  the  meanness  of 
avarice.  His  personal  integrity  was  unimpeached,  and  so 
far  was  be  from  making  use  of  his  opportunities  to  acquire 
wealth,  that  he  died  involved  in  debts,  wbicb  negligence, 
and  the  demands  of  his  public  station,  rather  than  extrava- 
gance, had  obliged  him  to  contract ;  for  his  tastes  were 
simple,  and  he  does  not  appear  to  have  had  a  fondness  for 
splendour  or  parade.  His  private  character  has  been  drawn 
by  a  friend  (the  right  hon.  George  Rose),  and  it  corre«« 
sponds  perfectly  with  other  accounts  that  we  have  had  from 
those  much  in  his  confidence,  and  who  were  frequently  in 
bis  company  at  times  when  the  man  and  not  the  minister 
was  displayed  in  alt  its  native  colours :  *'  With  a  manner 
somewhat  reserved  and  distant  in  what  might  be  termed 
bis  public  deportment,  no  man  was  ever  better  qualified  to 
gain,  or  more  successful  in  fixing,  the  at^cbment  of  his 
friends,  than  Mr.  Pitt.    They  saw  all  the  powerful  energies 


PITT.  23 

of  bis  character  softened  into  the  most  perfect  complacency 
and  sweetness  of  dietposition  in  the  circles  of  private  life> 
the  pleasures  of  which  no  one  more  cheerfully  enjoyed,  or 
more  agreeably  promoted,  when  the  paramount  duties  he 
conceiTed  himself  to  owe  the  public,  admitted  of  his  mix*- 
ing  in  them*  That  indignant  severity  with  which  be  met 
and  subdued  what  he  considered  unfounded  opposition; 
that  keenness  of  sarcaun  with  which  he  expelled  and 
withered,  as  it  might  be  said,  the  powers  of  most  of  his 
assailants  in  debate,  were  exchanged  in  the  society  of  hi^ 
intimate  friends  for  a  kindness  of  heart,  a  gentleness  of 
demeanour,  and  a  playfulness  of  good  humour,  which  no 
one  ever  witnessed  without  interest,  or  participated  with- 
out delight/' > 

PITTACUSy  one  of  the  seven  sages  of  Greece,  of  whom 
some  sayings  are  preserved, .  but  not  many  particulars  of 
his  life,  was  born  at  Mitylene  in  the  island  of  Lesbos^ 
about  64d  B.  C.  By  his  valour  and  abilities  be  obtained 
the  sovereignty  of  his  native  city,  which  he  employed  only 
to  lead  the  people  to  happiness,  by  giving  them  the  best 
laws  he  could  devise.  Having  fulfilled  this  task,  and  put 
his  laws  into  verse,  according  to  the  fashion  of  the  times, 
that  they  might  be  more  easily  remembered,  he  resigned 
bis  authority,  and  returned  to  a  private  life.  His  fellow- 
citizens  would  have  rewarded  his  benefits  by  a  large  dona- 
tion of  land^  but  be  positively  refused  to  accept  more  than 
a  circular  portion,  taking  the  cast  of  hia  javelin  from,  the 
centre  every  way,  as  the  measure  of  its  circumference. 
**  It  is  better,"  be  said,  **  to  convince  my  country  that  I 
am  sincerely  disinterested,  than  to  possess  great  riches." 
He  died  about  679  B.  C.  aged  seventy.  Some  of  his  say* 
it)gs  were,  **  The  first  office  of  prudence  is  to  foresee 
^hr^satening  misfortunes,  and  prevent  them.  Power  dis- 
covers the  man.  Never  talk  of  your  schemes  before  they 
are  executed  ;  lest,  if  you  fail  to  accomplish  them,  you 
be  exposed  to  the  double  mortification  of  disappointment 
and  ridicule^  Whatever  you  do,  do  it  well.  Do  not  that 
to  your  neighbour,  which  you  would  take  ill  from  him. 
Be  watchful  for  opportunities,  .&c."  ' 

PITTIS  (Thomas),  an  £nglish  divine,  was  born  in  the 
Isle  of  Wight,  and  became  a  commoner  of  Trinity  coir 

s  Oifford't  Life  of  Pitt,  Sec.  &e.  &c 

*  Fenelon's  Livey  of  tbe  Philosophers. — Brncker^ 


84  P  I  T  '^  I  S. 

legef  Oxford^  in  1652^  where,  after  takiog  the  de^ee 
of  B.  A.  be  removed  to  Lincoln  college,  and  had  the 
reputation  of  a  good  disputant.  Having  taken  his  mas- 
-ter^s  degree  be  gave  offence  to  the  then  ruling  party  in  the 
university,  by  a  speech  he  made  in  the  character  of  TenrsB 
JFilius,  for  which  he  was  expelled,  in  1658.  Oo  the  re- 
storation he  was  preferred  to  the  rectory  of  Gatcombe  ie 
the  Isle  of  Wight,  proceeded  in  his  degrees  of  B.  and  D.  D. 
and  was  made  one  of  his  majesty's  chaplaiils  in  ordinary. 
Dr.  Morley,  bishop  of  Winchester,  gave  him  afterward^ 
the  living  oJF  Holy  Rood  in  Southampton,  and  the  king  the 
rectory  of  Lutterworth  in  Leicestershire,  which  he  ex- 
•changed  for  that  of  St.  Botolph.  Bishopsgate^  London. 
This  last  he  held  at  his  death,  along  with  the  rectory  of 
Gatcombe,  his  chaplainship,  and  the  lectureship  of  Christ- 
church,  Newgate-8treet»  He  died  Dec.  28,  1.687,  and  was 
buried  at  Gatcombe.  Besides  a  few  occasional  sermons, 
he  published,  i.  *'  A  private  conference  between  a  rich 
alderman  and  a  poor  country  vtcar,'*  &c.  respecting  the  ob- 
ligation of  oaths,  Lond.  1670,  Svo.  2.  ^' A  Discourse  on 
Prayer,"^c.  1683,  8vo,  and,  which  is  still  frequently  to 
he  met  with.  3.  <<  A  discourse  concerning  the  trial  of 
Spirits,'*  against  enthusiastic  notions  of  inspiration,  1684, 
8vo. ' 

PIUS  n.  (Pope),  whose  name  was  iENEAS  Sylvius  Pic- 
iCOLOMiNi,  was  born  in  1405,  at  Corsignano  in  Sienna, 
where  his  father  liyed  in  exile.  He  was  educated  at  the 
grammar«-school  of  that  place ;  but  bis  parents  being  in  low 
circumstances,  he  was  obliged,  in  his  early  years,  to  sub- 
mit to  many  servile  employments.  In  1423,  by  the  assist- 
-ance  of  his  friends,-  be  was  enabled  to  go  to  the  uliiversity 
4)f  Sienna,  where  he  applied  himself  to  his  studies  with 
-great  success,  and  in  a  short  time  published  several  pieces 
in  the  Latin  and  Tuscan  languages.  In  1431  he  au^nded 
cardinal  Dominic  Capranica  to  the  council  of  Basil  as  his 
secretary.  He  was  likewise  in  the  same  capacity  with  car- 
dinal Albergoti,  who  seat  him  to  Scotland  to  mediate  a 
•peace  betwixt  the  English  and  Scots ;  and  he  was  in  that 
country  when  king  James  I.  was  murdered.  Upon  his  re- 
-turn  from  Scotland,  he  was  made  secretary  to  the  council 
t>f  Basil,  which  he  defended  against  the  authority  of  the 
popes,  both  by  his  speeches  and  writings,  particularly  in 

«•  Ath.  Ox.  Tol.  11. 


PIUS.  25 

adiak^ue'and^pistks  which  he  wrote  to  the  rebtot  and 
UDiversity   df  Cologn*     He  was  Ukewise  made  by  that 
council  clerk  of  the  ceremonies,  abbreviator,  an4  one  of 
the  duodecemviri,  Or  twelve  men,  an  office  of  igreat  im- 
poilanee.     He  was  employed  iti  several  embassies;  btoce 
to  Trent,  another  time  to  Frahkfort,  twice  to  CoAstaocey 
and  as  often  t6  Sav.dy,  and  thrice  to  Strasburg,  where  he 
had  an  intrigue  with  a  lady,  by  whom  he  bad  a  son ;  he 
has  given  an  account  of  this  affair  in  a  letter  to  his  father^ 
in  whidh  he  endeavours  to  vindicate  himself  with  much  in^ 
deb^fit  buffoonery.     In  1439  he  was  employed  in  the  ser- 
Tice  of  pdpe  Felix ;  and  being  soon  after  sent  ambassador 
to  the  etxiperor  Frederic,  he  was  crowned  by  him  with  the 
poetic  hiurel,  and  ranked  amongst  his  friends.     In  1442 
he  wa^  sent  for  from  Basil  by  the  emperor,  who  appointed 
him  secretary  to  the  empire,  and  raised  him  to  the  senato- 
rial order.     He  could  not  at  first  be  prevailed  on  to  con- 
'demn  the  council  of  Basi],  nor  to  go  over  absolutely  to 
Eagenius^s  party,  but  remained  neuter.     However,  when 
the  emperor'  Frederic  began  to  favour  Eugenius,  iEneas 
hkewise  changed  his'  opinion   gradually.     He  afterwards 
represented  the  emperor  in  the  diet  of  Nuremberg,  when 
they  were  consulting  about  methods  to  put  an  end  to  the 
schism,  and  was  sent  ambassador  to  Eugenius  :  at  the  per- 
-saasibh   of  Thomas  Sarzanus,    the   apostolical   legate  in 
Germany,  he  submitted  to  Eugenius  entirely,  and  made 
the  following  speech  to  his  holiness,  as  related  by  John  Go- 
belin, in  his  Commentaries  of  the  life  of  Pius  II.     "  Most 
holy  father  (said  he),  before  I  declare  the  emperor's  com- 
mission, give  me  leave  to  say  one  word  concerning  myself, 
I  do  Hot  question  but  you  have  heard  a  great  many  things 
which  are  not  to -my  advantage.     They  ought  not  to  have 
been  mentioned  to  you ;  but  I  must  confess,  that  my  ac- 
cuseds have  reported  nothing  but  what  is  true.     I  own  I 
have  said,  and  done,  and  written,  at  Basil,  many  things 
against  your  interests ;  it  is  impossible  to  deny  it :  yet  all 
this  has  been  done  not  with  a  design  to  injure  you,  but  to 
serve  the  church.     I  have  beien  in  an  error,  without  ques- 
tion ;  'but  I  have  been  in  just  the  ^ame  circumstances  with 
many  great  m6n,  as  particularly  with  Julian  cardinal  of  St. 
Angelo,  with  Nicholas  archbishop  of  Palermo,  with  Lewis 
du  Pont  (Pontanus)  the  secretary  of  the  holy  see;  men 
•who  are  esteemed  the  greatest  luminaries  in  the  law,  and 
doctors  pf  the  truth ;  to  omit  mentioning  the  universities 


26  PIUS. 

and  colleges  which  are  generally  against  you.  Who  ^oiild 
not  have  erred  with  persons  of  their  character  and  merit? 
It  is  true,  that  when  I  discovered  the  error  of  those  at 
3asil,  I  did  not  at .  first  go  over  to  you,  as  the  greatest 
part  did ;  but  being  afraid  of  falling  from  one  error  to 
another,  and  by  avoiding  Charybdis,  as  the  proverb  ex- 
presses it,  to  run  upon  Scylla,  I  joined  myself,  after  a 
\^^  long  deliberation  and  conflict  within  myself,  to  those  who 
thought  proper  to  continue  in  a  state  of  neutrality.  I  lived 
three  years  in  the  emperor's  court  in  this  situation  of  mind, 
where  having  an  opportunity  of  hearing  constantly  the 
disputes  between  those  of  Basil  and  your  legates,  I  was 
convinced  that  the  truth  was  on  your  side  :  it  was  upon  this 
motive  that,  when  the  emperor  thought  fit  to  send- me  to 
your  clemency,,!  accepted  the  opportunity  with  the  utmost 
satisfaction,  in  hopes  that  I  should  be  so  happy  as  co  gain 
your  favour  again  :  I  throw  myself  therefore  at  your  feet; 
and  since  I  sinned  out  of  ignorance,  I  entreat  you  to  grant 
me  your  pardon.  After  which  I  shall  open  to  you  the  em- 
peror's intentions."  This  was  the  prelude  to  the  famous 
retraction  which  ^neas  Sylvius  made  afterwards.  The 
pope  pardoned  every  thing  that  was  past ;  and  in  a  short 
time  made  him  his  secretary,  without  obliging  him  to  quit 
the  post  which  he  had  with  the  emperor. 

He  was  sent  a  second  time  by  the  emperor  on  an  em- 
bassy to  Eugenius,  on.  the  following  occasion :  the  pepe 
,  having  deposed  Thierry  and  James,  archbishops  and  elec- 
tors of  Colpgn  and  Treves,  because  they  had  openly  de- 
clared for  Felix  and  the  council  of  Basil,  the  electors  of 
the  empire  were  highly  offended  at  this  proceeding ;  and 
at  their  desire  the  emperor  sent  £neas  Sylvius  to  prevail 
on  the  pope  to  revoke  the  sentence  of  deposition. 

Upon  the  decease  of  pope  Eugenius,  Mneas  was  chosen 
by  the  cardinals  to  preside  in  the  conclave  till  another  pope 
should  be  elected.  He  was  made  bishop  of  Trieste  by 
pope  Nicholas,  and  went  again  into  Germany,  where  he 
was  appointed  counsellor  to  the  emperor,  and  had  the  di- 
rection of  all  the  important  affairs  of  the  empire.  Four 
years  after  he  was  made  archbishop  of  Sienna;  and  in  1452 
he  attended  Frederic  to  Rome,  when  he  went  to  receive 
the  imperial  crown.  .£neas,  upon  his  return,  was  named 
legate  of  Bohemia  and  Austria.  About  1456,  being  sent 
by  the  emperor  into  Italy,  to  treat  with  pope  Callixtus  III* 
about  a  war  with  the  Turks,  he  was  made  a  cardinal. 


PIUS.  t7 

Up(Ki  the  decease  of  CaUixtus,^  in  1458  be  wan  idected 
pope  by  the  name  of  Pius  II.    After  bis  proaiotion  to  the 
papal  chair  he  published  a  bull,  retracting  all  be   had 
written  in  defence  of  the  council  of  Basil,  with  an  apolog)^ 
which  shows  how  little  he  was  influenced  by  principle : 
'^  We  are  men  (sajs  he),  and  we  have  erred  as  men ;  we 
do  .not  deny,  but  that  many  things  which  we  have  said  or 
written,  may  justly  be  condemned  <  we  have  been  seduced, 
like  Paul,  and  have  persecuted  the  church  of  God  through 
ignorance;    we  now  follow  St.  Austin's  example,  who, 
having  suffered  several  erroneous  sentiments  to  escape  him 
in  his  writings,  retracted  them ;  we  do  jmst  the  same  thing : 
we  ingenuously  confess  our  ignorance,  oeing  apprehensive 
lest  what  we  have  written  in  our  youth  should  occasion 
some  error,  which  may  prejudice  the  holy  see.     For  if  it 
is  suitable  to  any  person's  character  to  maintain  the  emi« 
nence  and  glory  of  the  first  throne  of  the  church,  it  is  cer- 
tainly so  to  ours,  whom  the  merciful  God,  out  of  pure 
goodness,  has  raised  to  the  dignity  of  vicegerent  of  Christ, 
without  any  merit  on  our  part.     For  all  these  reasons,  we 
exhort  you  and  advise  you  in  the  Lord,  not  to  pay  any 
regard  to  those  writings,  which  injure  in  any  manner  the 
authority  of  the  apostolic  see,  and  assert  opinions  which 
the  holy  Roman  church  does  not  receive.     If  you  find  any 
thing  contrary  to  this  in  our  dialogues  and  letters,  or  in 
any  other  of  our  works,  despise  such  notions,  reject  them, 
follow  what  we  maintain  now ;  believe  what  I  assert  now  I 
am  in  years,  rather  than  what  I  said  when  I  was  young : 
regard  a  pope  rather  than  a  private  man ;  in  shorty  reject 
JEneas  Sylvius,  and  receive  Pius  II." 

Pius  behaved  in  his  high  office  with  considerable  spirit 
and  activity ;  but  more  as  a  temporal  prince,  than. the  head 
of  the  church.  During  his  pontificate  he  received  ambas<- 
sadors  from  the  patriarchs  of  the  east:  the  chief  of  the 
embassy  was  one  Moses,  archdeacon  of  Austria,  a  man  well 
vemed  in  the  Greek  and  Syriac  languages,  and  of  a  distin- 
guished character.  He  appeared  before  his  holiness  in  the 
name  of  the  patriarchs  of  Antioch,  Alexandria,  and  Jeru* 
salem  ;  be  told  his  holiness,  that  the  enemy  who  sows  tares 
having  prevented  them  till  then  from  receiving  the  decree 
of  the  (council  of  Florence,  concerning  the  union  of  the 
Greek  and  Latin  churches,  God  had  at  last  inspired  them 
with  a  resolution  of  submitting  to  it;  that  it  had  been 
solempjy  agreed  to,,  in  an  assembly  called  together  for  that 


as  p  I  u  s. 

• 

purpose ;  and  that  for  the  future  they  would  unanimously 
siibtnit  to  the  pope  as  vicegerent  of  Jesus  Christ.     Pius 
oomnsended  the  patriarchs  for  their  obedience,  aiid  or« 
dered  Moses's  speech  to  be  translated  into  Latin,  and  laid 
mp  amongst  the  archives  of  the  Roman  church.     A  few 
days  after  the  arrival  of  these  ambassadors  from  the  east, 
there  came  others  also  from  Peloponnesus,  who  offered 
obedience  to  the  pope,  and  he  received  them  in  the  name 
•f  the  church  of  Rome,  and  sent  them  a  governor, 
.    Pius,  in-  the  latter  part  of  his  pontificate,  made  great 
preparations  against  the  Turks,  for  which  purpose  he  snm<« 
fnoned  the  assistance  of  the  several  princes  in  £uit>pe ;  and 
having  raised  a  con^derable  number  of  troops,  he  went  to 
Ancona  to  see  them  embarked ;  where  he  was  seized  with 
a  fever,  and  died  the  14th  of  August,  1464,  in  the  fifty^ 
ninth  year  of  his  age,  and  the  seventh  of  his  pontificate. 
His  body  was  carried  to  Rome,  and  interred  in  the  Vati- 
can.    The  Roman   catholic,  writers  are  profuse  in  theit^ 
praises  of  this  pope,  whose  character,  however^  whether 
private  or  public,  will  not  bear  the  strictest  scrutiny.    His 
secretary,  John  Gobelin,  published  a  history  of  his  life^ 
which  is  supposed  to  have  been  written  by  this  pope  him<^ 
self:  it  was  printed  at  Rome  in  quarto  in  1584  and  1589  ; 
and  at  Francfort  in  folio  in  1614.     We  have  an  edition  of 
£neas  Sylvius's  works,  printed  at  Basil,  in  folio,  in  1551. 
They  consist  of  Memoirs  of  the  Council  of  B^ie ;    The 
History  of  the  Bohemians  from  their  origin  till  A.  D.  1458; 
Cosmography,  in  two  books;  the  History  of  Frederick  III. 
whose  vice-chancellor  he  was ;  a  Treatise  on  the  educa- 
tion of  children  ;  a  Poem  on  the  Passion  of  Jesus  Christ; 
a  collection   of  482   Letters ;  Historia  rerum  ubicunque 
gestarum ;  the  first  part  only  of  which  was  published  at 
Venice  in  1477,  fol.     Euryalus  and  Lucretia,  a  romance. 
A  collection  of  all  these,  with  his  life,  was  also  published 
at  Uelmstadt  in  1700,  fol.     He  was,  notwithstanding  the 
applauses  of  the  catholics,  a  man  of  great  ambition,  and 
great  duplicity.     He  has  been  praised  for  bis  wise  and 
witty  sayings,  but  he  was  also  famous  for  sayings  of  a  very 
different  description.    He  indulged  himself,  respecting  the 
reformers,  in  a  rancour  of  language  which  must  be  offen- 
sive to  every  sober  Christian ;  and  his  letters  show  that  be 
indulged  great  licence  in  point  of  morals.     Mr.  Gilpin, 
after  selecting  some  striking  proofs  of  this,  says,  ^^  Such  is 
the  testimony  which  ^Xneas  Sylvius  bath  given  us  of  him* 


P  I  U  S..    .  "20 

telf.  It  may  serve  to  invalidate  .what  be  hath  ^aid  of  others'; 
as  it  seems  entirely  to  show  that  his  ceosures  are  founded 
tipon  a  mere  difference  of  opinion, .  without  any  regard  to 
practice,  which  is  0110  of  the  characteristics  of  bigotry;. 
They  who .  are  not  acquainted  with  the  history  of  this 
writer  will  be  surprised  to  hear  that  the  man  of  whom  we 
have  this  authentic  character,  was  not  only  a  pope,  but  is 
acknowledged  by  the  generality  of  popish  writers,  as  one 
of  the  most  respectable  of  all  the  Roman  pontiffs."  ^ 

PIZARRO  (Francis),  the  conqueror  of  Peru,  cele«- 
brated  rather  for  his  abilities  than  for  his  virtues,  his  glory 
being  tarnished  by  the  cruelties  which  he  practised  towards 
thosq  whom  he  had  conquered,  was  the  illegitimate  son  of 
a  gentleman,  by  a  very  low  woman,  and  apparently  des«- 
tined  by  his  ungenerous  parent  not  to  rise  above  the  cons- 
ditton  of  his  mother,  being  put  to  the  mean  employment 
of  keeping  hogs.  I'he  genius  of  young  Pizarro  disdained 
this  Ipw  occupation.  He  enlisted  as  a  soldier,  served 
some  time  in  Italy,  and  then  embarked  for  America,  which 
offered  at  that  period  a  strong  allurement  to  every  active 
adventurer.  Distinguished  by^  his  utter  disdain  of  every 
hardship  and  danger,  be  was  soon  regarded,  though  so 
illiterasus  that  he  was  unable  to  read,  as  a  man  formed  for 
command ;  and  being  settled  in  Panama,  where  tb^  Spa** 
nish  emigrants  had  found  their  sanguine  expectations 
wholly  disappointed,  he  united  in  1524  with  Diego  de 
Almagro,  another  military  adventurer,  and  Hernando 
Lucque,  a  priest,  to  prosecute  discoveries  to  the  eastward 
of  that  settlement.  This  attempt  had  frequently  been  made, 
but  had  failed  through  the  inability  of  the  persons  con-^ 
cemed  in  it;  it  had  now  fallen  into  such  han4s  as  were 
calculated  to  make  it  successful,  and  their  confederacy  was 
sanctioned  by  the  governor  of  Panama.  The  enterprise 
was  begun  in  a  very  humble  manner.  Pizarro  set  sail 
with  a  single  vessel,  and,  from  universal  ignorance  of  the 
tilimate^  at  the  very  worst  season  of  the  year,  in  Novem- 
ber, when  the  periodical  winds  were  precisely  against  hia 
course.  He  had  no  success,  nor  was  his  colleague  Alma^ 
fro,  who^  followed,  more  fortunate.  After  undergoing  er- 
treoie  hai^dships,  and  obtaining  only  a  glimpse  qi'  a  better 
oountry,  the  utmost  they  could  do  was  to  establish  them- 
selves- id  an  island  near  the  coast     Nothing  could  deter 

4  Ca^y  Tol.  11.— Platioa.— Gen.  Diet. 


so  P  I  Z  A  R  Tl  O. 

Pizarro  from  his  enterprise ;  the  refusal  of  further  saDction 
from  the  governor,  the  desertion  of  all  his  associates,  ex- 
cept thirteen,  all  was  in  vain.  He  remained  with  his  small 
band,  till,  in  spite  of  all  obstacles,  they  obtained  another 
vessel,  with  some  reinforcements.  They  set  sail  again  in 
1 526,  and  on  the  twentieth  day  after  their  departure,  dis- 
covered the  fertile  coast  of  Peru.  They  were  yet  too 
weak  to  attempt  the  invasion  of  an  empire  so  populous^ 
and  Pizarro  .contented  himself  with  carrying  back,  by 
means  of  an  amicable  intercourse,,  such  specimens  of  the 
wealth  and  civilization  of  the  country  as  might  invite  others 
to  accede  to  the  enterprise.  Unable  to  bring  the  governor 
of  Panama  to  adopt  his  views,  he  returned  to  Spain,  and 
explaining  to  that  court  the  magnitude  of  the  objectj^  ob- 
tained every  grant  of  authority  he  could  wish,  but  no  other 
assistance;  and  being  left  to  his  own  resources^  could 
have  effected  nothing  had  he  not  been  assisted  with  money 
by  Cortez,  just  then  returned  from  Mexico.  It  was  Fe^ 
bruary  1531,  before  he  and  his  associates  were  again  able 
to  sail  from  Panama  on  their  great  undertaking ;  and  tbea 
their  whole  armament  consisted  only  of  three  smalL  vessels 
and  180  soldiers,  thirty-six  of  whom  were  horsemen. 
When  they  landed  in  Peru,  as  they  had  the  imprudence 
to  attack  the. natives,  ipstead  of  conciliating  them,  they 
were  at  first  exposed  to  famine,  and  several  other  cala- 
mities. Pizarro,  however,  had  the  good  fortune  to  enter 
Peru  when  the  forces  of  the  empire  were  divided  by  an 
obstinate  civil  war  between  Huascar  the  legitimate  mo- 
narch, and  Atahualpa.  (commonly  called  Atabalipa),  his 
half  brother.  By  degrees  understanding  the  state  of  the 
country, ,  Pizarro  engaged  to  be  the  ally  of  Atahualpa,  and 
under  that  pretence  was  permitted  to  penetrate  unmolested 
to  Caxamalca,  twelve  days*  journey  within  the  country*; 
He  was  received  pacifically  and  with  state,  as  the  ambas^ 
sador  of  a  great  monarch ;  but,  perfidiously  taking  advan** 
tage  of  the  unsuspecting  good  faith  of  Atahualpa,  he  made 
a  sudden  attack,  and  took  him. prisoner.  The  exaction  of 
an  immense  ransom,  the  division  of  which  served  to  invite 
new  invaders ;  the  disgraceful  breach  of  faith  by  which  the 
king  was  )^ept  a  prisoner  after  his  ransom  was  paid  ;  and 
the  detestable  murder  of  him,  a  short  time  after,  under  the 
itifamous  mockery  of  a  trial ;  with  the  insults  superadded 
by  bigotry,  to  make  him  die  a  Christian,  without  being 


P  I  Z  A  R  R  O.  %i 

tible  to  comprehend  that  faith ;  all  contribate  to  accumu- 
late disgrace  upon  the  head  of  the  treacherous  and  unfeeU 
iog  conqueror,  and  form  such  odious  additions  to  the  re- 
proachful scenes  acted  by  the  Spaniards  in  America,  as 
potliing  can  palliate  or  obliterate.     Pizarro,  favoured  by 
4he  distracted  state  of  Peru,  which  now  increased,  though 
Huascar  had  been  put  to  death  by  order  of  his  brother, 
aod  reinforced  by  more  soldiers  from  Spain,  proceeded  in 
his  conquests,  and  on  Jan.  18,  1535,  laid  the  foundation 
of  Lima,  called  by  bim  and  his  countrymen  Ciiiidad  de  ios 
Reyes.     In  15:17  he  found  a  new  enemy  in  his  original 
associate  Aimagro,  who  claiming  Cuzco,  the  ancient  ca- 
pital of  Peru,  .as  belonging  to  his  jurisdiction,  got  posses- 
sion of  it.     This,  and  other  advantages  gained  by  him,  at 
ooce  distressed  and  roused  Pizarro.     They  came  to  an 
engagement  in  1538,  in  which  Aimagro  was  defeated  and 
taken  prisoner ;  and,  after  an  interval  of  confinement,  was 
tried  and  executed.     This  was  the  last  of  the  successes  of 
Pizarro^  the  son  and  friends  of  Aimagro  conspired  against 
him,  aod  on  June  26,  1541,  he  was  assassinated  by  them 
in  his  palace,  making  a  most  resolute  defence,  well  worthy 
of  his  long-tried  courage.     He  was  at  this  time  advanced 
in  years,  though  his  exact  age  is  not  known.     The  glory 
be  justly  acquired  by  military  talents,  courage,  and  saga- 
city, would  have  placed  him  in  the  rank  of  heroes,  hdd 
not  his.  character  been  disgraced  by  the  indelible  stains  of 
perfidy  and  cruelty.  ^ 

PLACCIUS  (Vincent),  an  eminent  philologer  of  Ham^ 
bnrgb^  where  he  was  borni  in  1642,  completed  his  studies 
at  Heloistadt  and  Leipsic,  and  improved  his  talents  by  tra-' 
veiling  in  France  and  Italy.  When  he  returned,  he  ap- 
plied himself  to  the  bar,  and  afterwards  became  professor 
of.  morals  and  eloquence,  in  which  situation  he  continued 
twenty-four  years.  He  was  beloved  by  his  pupils,  and 
when  be  died,  April  6,  1699,  regretted  by  his  countrymen 
in  general,  who  hadconlsidered  him  as  an  oracle.  His  works 
are,  i.  ^'  A  Dictionary  of  anonymous  and  pseudonymous 
•  Authors/'  published  in  1708,  in  2  vols,  folio,  by  the  care 
of  Fabricius ;  a  curious  work,  but  abounding  with  faults. 
2.  *^  Dejarisconsulto  perito  Liber,''  1693,  8vo.  3.  <<  Car- 
iBina  juveoilia,"  Ams^.  1667,  12mo.  4.  <^De  arte  excer* 
pendi,"    Hamburgh,   1689,   8vo,  with  several  others,  all 

I  Robertson's  Hist  of  Am^ica. 


32  .    PL  ACE.    . 

testifying,  and  abandantly  proving,  his  talents  and  eruT 
dition. ' 

PLACE  (Francis),  a  man  of  taste  in  various  pursuits^ 
but  chiefly  known  as  an  e;igraver,  was  the  son  of  Mr, 
Rowland  Place,  of  Dinsdale,  in  the  county  of  Durham* 
He  was  at  first  intended  for  the  law,  and  was  placed  as  ft 
clerk  to  an  attorney  in  London,  with  whom  he  resided 
until  1665,  when  a  house  be  had  taken  being  shut  up  on 
account  of  the  plague,  he  left  London  and  quitted  his  pro* 
fession  at  the  same  time.  He  now  turned  projector,  and 
expended  considerable  sums  of  money  in  attempting  to 
make  pofcelaine,  which  be  put  in  practice  at  the  manor«« 
house  of  York.  In  this  it  is  probable  be  bad  .not  due  per-* 
severance ;  for  one  Clifton,  of  Pontefract,  took,  the  hint 
from  him,  and  realized  a  fortune.  Who  was  his  teacher  ;as 
an  artist  is  not  known,  and  his  works  are  very  rare,  for  he 
painted,  drew,  etched,  and  engraved,  merely  for  hia  own 
amusement ;  and  as  his  productions  prove  him  a  man  of 
great  abilities,  it  is  to  be  lamented  that  he  had  not:equai 
application,  and  left  many  valuable  designs  unfinished^  In 
the  reign  of  Charles  IL  it  is  said  he  was  offered  a  pension 
of  500/.  to  draw  the  royal  navy,  but  he  refused  this  sum, 
large  as  it  then  was,  from  a  dislike  of  confinement  and  de<- 
pendence.  He  died  in  1728,  and  his  widow,  on  quitting 
the  manor*house  at  York,  disposed  of  his  paintings ;  among 
which  was  an  admired  picture  of  fowls,  others  of  fishes 
and  flowers  unfinished,  together  with  bis  own  portrait  by  . 
himself.  He  left  behind  him  a  daughter,  who  was  manded 
to  Wadham  Wyndham,  esq.    This  lady  was  living' iu  1764. 

His  etchings,  particularly  of  landscapes  and  birds,  from 
Griffier,  are  admirable.  The  free,  style  in  which  he 
treated  the  foliage  of  his  trees,  proves  bis  judgment  and 
good  taste  ;  and  his  portraits  in  mezaotinto  are  excellent. 
Among  the  latter,  Strutt  mentions  bishop  Crew,  archbishop 
Sterne,  Dr.  Comber,  dean  of  Durham,  Henty  Gyles,  the 
artist,  and  general  Lambert.  In  Thoresby's  Topogmphy 
of  Leeds  are  some  churches  drawn  by  Place;  the. plates 
for  Godartius's  book  of  Insects  ar«e  by  him;  and  he  also 
executed  many  views  in  Yorkshire. '  .       .   .  i 

PLACE  (Joshua  de  la),  a  learned  protestant  minister, 
and  celebrated  professor  of  divinity  at  Saumur,  was  de*- 

^  Chaufepie,  an  elaborate  article.— •Diet  Hist. — MorhofiTs  Polybistor. 
3  I^rd  Orford's  Catalq|[;ofr^of  J^riiTyirs.-«<n^U'uJbt'tI>ictionary. 


PLACE.  $t 

I 

sce&ded  from  a  Boble  and  ancient  family,  8|id  born  in 
I596n  He  gained  great  credit  by  his  writings  ifgainst  the 
SoeioiaBfly  but  beld  a  singular  opinion  concerning  the 
imputation  of  Adam^s  sini  which  was  condemned  in  a 
French  synod.  He  died  August  7,  1655,  at  Saumur>  aged 
fifty-nine.  His  works  were  reprinted  at  Franeker,  1699, 
and  1703,  4to^  2  torn.  The  first  contains  a  treatise  *^0a 
Types ;"  treatises  on  *'  The  imputation  of  Adam^s  first 
Sin,  Of,  '^  The  order  of  the  Divine  Decrees,  and  on  Free- 
will^-' with  an  '*  Abridgment  of  Theology  :^'  the  second 
Tolume  contains  his  **  Disputes  against  the  Sociniana,'*  the 
most  important  part  of  his  works.  He  also  wrote  ^' An 
Examination  of  the  arguments  for  and  against  the  Sacri- 
fice of  the  Mass,"  8vo. ' 

PLACE  (Peter  be  la),  in  Latin  Plateaxus,  a  learned 
French  writer,  was  born  at  Angoul£me  in  t526«  He  ap-« 
plied  with  success  to  the  study  of  jurisprudence,  and  in 
1548  published  a  Latin  paraphrase  on  the  titles  of  the 
Idiperial'  institutes,  ^^  De  Actionibus,  Exceptionibus  et 
Interdictis,"  in  4to.  After  this  he  was  called  to  the  bar  of 
the  paiiiament  of  Paris,  and  acquired  the  character  of  a 
learned,  eloquent,  and  virtuous  counsellor.  Francis  L 
appointed  him  advocate  of  his  court  of  aids  at  Paris,  and 
he  discharged  the  duties  of  that  office  with  so  much  talent 
and  integrity,  that  Henry  H.  nominated  him  his  first  pre- 
liidest  in  the  same  court.  He  became,  in  consequence  of 
hearing  Qalvip,  a  convert  to  the  protestant  religion  in  1554^ 
and  made  an  open  profession  of  it  on  the  death  of  Francis 
IL  On  the  breaking  out  of  the  civil  war  be  retired  to  one 
«f  his  bonsisa  in  Picardy ;  but  at  the  peace  in  1562  vindi- 
cated himself  before  the  king  from  the  several  charges 
which  had  been  preferred  against  him.  He  was  now  ap- 
pmnted  by  the  prince  of  Conde  superintendant  of  the 
houselsold,  and  accompanied  his  highness  to  the  castle  of 
yi  in  the  Valois,  where  be  continued  till  Charles  IX. 
granted  the  protestants,  advantageous  terms  of  peace  in 
I54>9;.  that  he  might  the  more  easily  extirpate  them.  La 
Place,  deceived  by  this  treachery,  returned  to  Paris,  and 
wdm  executing  the  office  of  president  to  the  court  of  aids, 
when  he  was  put  to  death  in  the  most  treacherous  as  well 
as  barbarous  manner  in  the  general  massacre  of  the  pro- 
testants  on  'St.  Bartholomew's  day,  in  1572,  at  the  age  of 

>  Moreri.— Diet.  Hist« 

Vol.  XXV.  D 


8*  PLACE. 

forty •i>six.  His  clear  j  adgment  and  discrimination  adorirsbljf^ 
qualified  biin  for  the  office  of  magistrate.  His  chief  works 
are,  ^*  Commentaries  on  the  state  of  Religion,  and  of  the 
Commonwealth,  from  1556  to  1561  ;''  *•  A  Treatise  on  the 
right  use  of  Moral  Philosophy  in  connection  with  the  Christ 
tian  Doctrine  ;*'  and  **  A  Treatise  on  the  excellence  of  the 
Christian  Man."  * 

PLACENTINUS,  or  PLACENTIUS  (PETia),  is  said* 
to  have  been  the  real  name  of  a  German  author,  who,- 
under  the  fictitious  one  of  Publius  Porcius  Porcellus,  wrote' 
the  Latin  poem  entitled  ^^  Pugna  porcorum/'  consisting  of 
360  verses,  in  which  every  word  begins  with  a  P.  It  wSis 
published  separately  at  Antwerp,  in  1 530,  and  is  in  the 
^^  NugsD  venales,"  &c.  We  have  followed  Baillet  in  call-*': 
ing  him  Peter  Placentihus,  but'  Le  Clerc  says  that  his 
name  was  John  Leo  Placentius,  a  Dominican  monk,  who 
died  about  1548,  and  that  he  composed  an  history  of  the 
bishops  of  Tongres,  Maestricht,  and  Liege,  taken  out  of 
&bulous  memoirs,  and  several  poems  besides  the  *^  Pugna 
Porcorum/'  In  this  last  he  imitated  one  Theobaldus,  a 
Benedictine  monk,  who  flourished  in  the  time  of  Charted 
the  Bald,  to  .whom  be  presented  a  panegyric  on  baldness,' 
every  word  of  which  began  with  the  letter  C  \cahities^ 
baldness).  Placentinus  is  said  to  have  had  another  obj|cty 
to^satirize  the  sloth  of  the  prelates,  but  this  is  not  easily 
discoverable.  Some  discussion  on  the  ^^  Pugna  Porcorum,"^ 
if  our  readers  think  it  worthy  of  farther  inquiry,  may  be 
found  in  our  authorities. ' 

PLACETTE  (John  de  la),  a  protestant  minister  of 
great  eminence,  was  born  at  Pontac  in  Berne,  Jan*  1 9^* 
163*9 ;  and  his  father,  who  was  a  minister,  trained  him  with 
the  greatest  attention  and  care.  From  1660,  he' exercised 
the  ministry  in  France;  but,  after  the  revocation  of  the 
edict  of  Nantz  in  1685,  be  retired  to  Denmark,  where  ha 
continued  till  the  death  of  the  queen  in  1711 ;  for  that 
princess,  apprised  of  his  great  merit,,  kept  him  near  her. 
From  Denmark  he  passed  to  Holland,  and  fixed  himself 
first  at  the  Hague ;  then  removed  to  Utrecht,  where  be 
(jlied  April  25,  1718,  aged  seventy^nine.  He  was  the  au-' 
tbor  of  many  works  upon  piety  and  morality,  which  are 

•    I  Gen.  Diet*  where  is  an  interetting  aocouot  of  hit  death.— Bibl..  CcQix  d« 

Maine. 

s  Baillet  dee  auteun  degyisez.-^Merrick's  Tryphiodonis,  Dit»ertaUon,  p.  %S^ 
Maf ,  XLVl.  p.  511  ^nd  603  ;  and  XLVIf.  p.  70. 


P  L  A  C  E  T  T  E.  3S^ 

reckoned  excellent  in  their  kind ;  and  of  some  of  the  po-^ 
lemic  kind,  against  the  church  of  Rome,  and  particularly 
against  Bayle's  sceptical  works.  Among  these  we  may 
enumerate,  1.  *^  Nouveaux  Essais  deMorafe,'*  6  vols.  l2mo. 

2.  <<  Triiit€  de  TOrgueil,"  the  best  edition  of  which  is  16^9. 

3.  **  Traits  de  la  Conscience."  4.  "  Trait6  de  la  Restitu* 
tion."  5.  ^*  La'Communion  devote,"  the  best  edition*  of 
which  is  that  of  1699.  6.  <<  Trait^  des  bonnes  CEuvres  ea 
g^ncral,"  7.  «  Trait6  du  Serment."  8.  "  Divers  Trait^s 
^r  des  Matieres  de  Conscience/'  9.  *^  La  Mort  des 
Jttstes."  10.  "Traits  de  I'Aumdoe."  11.  «Trait6  des 
Jeux  de  Hazard."  12.  <<  La  Morale  Chretien  abr^g^e," 
1701.  13.  <*  Reflexions  Cbr^tiennes  sur  divers  Sujets  de 
Morale/'  all  in'I2mo.  14.  '^  De'Insanabili  Ecclesia  Ro<- 
man&,  Sceptitismo,  Ditoertatio,"  16d6,  or  1696,  4to;  IS. 
^*  De  rAutorit6  des  Sens  centre  la  Transubstantiation," 
12mo.  .  16.  "Traits  de  la  Fbi  divine,"  4  vol^.  4to.  17. 
**  Dissertation  sur  divers  Sujets  de  Th^ologie  et  de  Mo« 
rale,"  12mo,  &c.  Some  of  the  above  have  been  pub« 
li»hed  in  English,  particularly  the  '^  Treatise  on  Con* 
scietice,*'  and  that  on  the  **  Death  of  the  Just."  ^ 

'  PLANTIN  (Christopher),  an  eminent  printer,  was 
born  at  Mont- Louis,  near  Tours,  in  1514.  He  was  in- 
structed in  his  art  at  Caen,  under  Robert  MaCe,  whence 
hp  went  to  Antwerp,  and  formed  by  degrees  one  of  the' 
greatest  establishments  for  printing  in  Europe,  and  said 
indeed  to  be  uni<)ue  in  its  kind.  The  whole  iiras  upon  the 
most  magnificent  scale,  and  even  the  building  was  ac* 
counted  one  of  the  ornaments  of  the  city  of  Antwerp,  and 
was  so  amply  furnished  with  presses,  founts  of  letter  of 
all  sorts,  a  foundery,  and  other  matters  necessary  for  the 
<ionceriii,  as' to  have  cost  an  immense  sum  of  nnoney.  One 
of  his  biographers  informs  us -that  Plantings  ideas  were  so' 
Bo^nificent  as  that  he  cast  sonie  founts  in  silver,  and  con- 
sidered  himself  as  having  in  that  respect  done  what  no  other 
printer  bad  attempted ;  but  this  is  a  mistake^  as  Robert 
Stephens  bad  before  indulged  himself  in  the  luxury  of 
silver  types,  although  not  so  rich  a  man  as  Plantin. '  In 
1576  Tbnanuis'  pa4d  a  visit  to  Plantin;  who,  although  n6t 
now  in  such  good  circumstances,  still  had  seventeen  presses 
st#ori[,  and  the  wages  of  bis  workmen  amounted  to  200 

florias  per  day.     But  what  redounds  most  to  his  credit  was 

•      .  »  .    .         ^  -   t      •  »       

.  ,  ,    ^  NiceroOf  toI.  XI.— Moreri. 

D  2 


^8-  PLATER- 

He  possessed  an  extensive.knawledge  of  anatomy,  botany, 
natural  history,  and  other  branches  Of  science,  and  coo- 
tributed  much  to  the  celebrity  of  his  native  university,  in 
which  he  was  a  teacher  upwards  of  fifty  years.     He  died 
in  July  1614,  in  the  seventy -eighth  year  of  his  age.     He 
l^ft  the  following  works:  ^*  De  Corporis  humani  structura 
et  usu  Libri  tres,''  Basle,  1583,  and  1603,  folio ;  "  De  Fe- 
bribus  Liber,"  Francfort,  1597;  "Praxeos  Medica  Tomi 
tres,^'  Basle,  1602  ;  ^^  Observationum  MecHciualium  Libri 
ires,"  ibid.  1614,  &c. ;  "  Consilia  Medica,''  Francf.  1615, 
in  the  collection  of  Brend^Hus;  *'  De  GangraensL  Epistola,"' 
in  the  first  century  o^  the  letters  of  Hildanus.     After  bis 
death  were  published  ^*  Qus&stionum  Medicaruoi  paradox- 
arum  et  eudoxarum  Centuria  posihuma,^'  Basle,  1625,  edited 
by  his  brother,  Thomas  Plater ;  and  "  Qusestiones  Pbysip- 
]ogic8B  de  partium  in  utero  conformatione,V  Leyden,  1650.* 
PLATINA  (Bartolomeo  Sacchi)j  so  called,  a  learsjed 
Italian,  and  author  of  a  ^^  History  of  the  Popes,''  was  born 
in  1421  at  Piadena,  in  Latin  Platina,  a  village  between 
Cremona  and  Mantua ;  whence  betook  the  name  by  which 
be  is  generally  known.     He  first  embraced  a  military  life, 
which  be  followed  for  a  considerable  time ;  but  afterwards 
devoted  himself  to  literature,  and  made  a  considerable  pro- 
gress in  it.    He  went  to  Rome  under  Calixtus  HL.who  was 
piade  pope  in  1455  ;  and  procuring  an  introduction  to  car- 
dinal Bessarion,  he  obtained  some  small  benefices  of  pope 
Pius  n.  who  succeeded  Calixtus  in  1458,  and  afterwards  was 
appointed  to.an  office  which  Pius  H.  created,  called  the;  col- 
lege of  apostolical  abbrevtators.     But  when  Paul  H.  suc- 
ceeded Pius  in  1464,  Platina^s  affairs  took  a  very  unfavour- 
able turn.     Paul  hated  him  because  he  was  the!  favourite  of 
his  predecessor  Pius,  and  removed  all  the  abbreviators 
from  their  employments,  by  abolishing -their  places,  n^- 
withstanding  some  had  purchased  them  with  great  ^ums  of 
money.    On  this  Platina  ventured  to  complain  ta  the  pope^ 
and  most  humbly  besought  him  to  order  their  cause  tp  be 
judged  by  the  auditors  of  the  Rota.   The  pope  was  pffend-r 
ed  at  the  liberty,  and  gave  hini  a  very  haughty  repulse : 
**  Is  it  thus,''  said  he,  looking  at  him  sternly,  **  is  it  thus, 
that  you  summon  us  before  your  judges,  as  if  you  knew 
not  that  all  laws  were  centered  in  our  breast  i    Such  is  our 
deqr^e :  they  shall  all  go  hence,  whithersoever  they  please ; 

\  ]p:ioy,  Diet,  ^list^ 


P  L  A  T  I  N  A.  S» 

I  am  pope,  and  haye  a  right  to  ratify  or  cancel  the  acti  of 
others  at  pleasure.''  These  abbreviators,  thus  divested  of 
their  employmenU,  used  their  utmost  endeavoursi  for  some 
days,  to  obtain  audience  of  the  pope,  but  were  repulsed 
with. contempt.  Upon  this,  Platina  wrote  to  him  id  bolder 
language  :  *'  If  yon  had  a  right  to  dispossess  us,  without  a 
bearing,  of  the  employments  we  lawfully  purchased  ;  we, 
4>Q  the  other  side,  may  surely  be  permitted  to  complain  of 
the.  injustice  we  sufier,  and  the  ignominy  with  which  we 
aire  branded.  As  you  have  repulsed  us  so  contumeliously, 
\ve  will  go  to  all  the  courts  of  princes,  and  intreat  them  to 
call  a  council ;  whose  principal  business  shall  be,  to  oblige 
you  to  shew  cause,  why  you  have  divested  us  of  our  law* 
ful  possessions.''  This  letter  being  considered  as  an  act  of 
rebellion,  the  writer  was  imprisoned^  and  endured  great  hard** 
ships.  At  the  end  of  four  months  he  had  bis  liberty,  with 
orders  not  to  leave  Rome,  a^d  continued  in  quiet  for  some 
time ;  but  afterwards,  being  suspected  of  a  plot,  was  again 
imprisoned,  and,  with  many  others,  put  to  the  rack.  The 
plot  being  found  imaginary,  the  charge  was  turned  to  he- 
resy, which  also  came  to  nothing;  and  Platina  was  set  at 
liberty  some  time  after.  The  pope  then  flattered  him  with 
B.  prospect  of  preferment,  but  died  before  he  could  pe/form 
h^  fNTomises,  if  ever  he  meant  to  do  so.  On  the  accession, 
however,  of  Siztus  IV.  to  the  pontificate,  he  recompensed 
Platina  in  some  measure  by  appointing  hitn  in  1475,  keeper 
of  tbe.t  Vatican  library,  which  was  established  by  this  pope. 
It  was  a  place  of  moderate  inconie  then,  but  was  highly  ac* 
c^ptable.  to  Platina,  who  enjoyed  it  with  great  contentment 
until  1481,  when  he  was  snatched  away  by  the  plague.  He 
bequeathed  to.Pomponius  L^tus  the  houde. which  he  built 
on  the  Mons  Quirinalis,  with  the  laurel  grove,  out  of  which 
th^  poetical  crowns  were  taken.  He  was  the  author  of  se- 
veral works,  the  most  considerable  of  which  is,  '^  De  Vitis 
ac  Giastis  Summorum  Pontificum  ;"  or.  History  of  the 
Popes  from  St.  Peter  to  Sixtus  IV.  to  whom  he  dedicated 
iU  Tbi»  ^ork  is  writteti  with  an  elegance  of  style,  and 
discovers  powers  of  research  and  discrimination  which 
were  then  unknown  in  biographical  works.  He  seems 
always  desirous  of  stating  the  truth,  and  does  this  with  as 
much  boldnesses  could  be. expected  in  that  age.  The 
best  proof  of  this,  perhaps,  is  that  all  the  editions  after 
l&OO  were  mutilated  by  the  licensers  of  the  press.  The 
account  be  gives  of  his  sufferings  under  Paul  II.  has  been 


40  P  L  A  T  1  N  A. 

objected' td  him  as  a  breach  of  ibe  impartialitj  to-be  ob- 
served by  a  historian  ;  but  it  was  at  th6  same  time  no  iti* 
eoDsidetable  proof  of  bis  courage.  This  work  was  first 
printed  at  Venice  in  1479,  folio,  and  reprinted  once  or 
twice  before  1500.  Platina  wrote  also,  2.  **A  History  of 
Mantua,"  in  Latin,  which  was  first  published'  by  Lambe«- 
i^ius,  with  notes,  at  Vienna,  1675,  in  >4to.  3.  **  De  Na«^ 
turis  rerum."  4.  **  Epistolas  ad  diversos.'*  6.  "  De  ho*- 
nesta  voluptate  et  vaietudine.''  6.  <^  De  falso  et  ver^ 
bono.'*  7.  *<  Contra  amOres/*  8.  **  De  vera  nobilitatc.** 
5.  "  De  Optimo  cire."  10.  "  Panegyricus  in  Bessariooem/* 
11."  Oratio  ad  Paulum  II."  13-  *^  De  pace  Italisfc  com^ 
ponenda  et  bello  Turcico  indicendo."  13.  "  De  flo&culia 
linguae  Latias.'^  Sannazarius  wrote  an  humorous  epigrao^ 
on  the  treatise  ^'  de  bonesta  voluptate,"  including  direc->> 
tiotts  for  the  kitchen,  de  Obsonns,  which  Mr.  Oresswell  bais 
thus  translated : 

''  Each  pontiff*s  talents,  morals^  life,  and  end. 
To  scan  severa^  your  earlier  lahours  tend--^ 
■When  laie*-K)n  culinary  themes  you  shine. 
Even  pampered  pontifis  praise  the  kind  design." 

In  this  hit  at  the  popes,  Sannazarius  forgot  that  the  cas6 
was  quite  the  reverse  with  these  two  works,  the  treatise 
^^  De  honesta  volaptate"  being  in  fact  composed  before  its 
iuthor's  imprisonment  and  persecution  under  Paul  IL  and 
the  Lives  of  the  Popes  not  until  he  became  keeper  of  the 
Vatican  under  Sixtus  IV.  The  date  of  the  first  edition  of 
the  former^  14dl,  had  probably  misled  Saifnai^arius.  The 
lives  of  the  popes  was  continued  in  subsequent  editions  by 
Oauphrius  Panvinins  and  others.  We  have  likewise  ah 
English  translation  and  continuation  by  sir  Paul  RicHu^ 
which  will  be  noticed  more  particularly  hereafter.  ^ 

PLATNER  (John  Zachariah),  an  able  physician^  was 
born  at  Chemnitz,  in  Misnia^  in  August  1694.  He  waft 
first  intended  for  •  merchandize,  but  the  rapid  progresi 
which  he  made  in  bis  studies,  induced  his  father  to  consent 
that  he  should  direct  his  attention  to  medicine,  for  which 
he  bad  manifested  a  strong  inclination.  He  studied,  there* 
fore,  at  Leipsic,  for  three  years,  and  afterwards  at  Halle^. 
where  he  receiTed  the  degree  of  doctor  in  September  1716; 
He  then  travelled  through  various  parts  of  Europe,  for  four 

1  Tiraboscbi-ivBalbrt'8,Aca4^niiedei  Scienoes i-*-NicerOD,  toIs.  VUI.  sad^ 
•^Gressweirs  PoliiiaD,— Saxii  Ooomasi, 


P  L  A  T  Ji  E  R.  41 

years^  and  finally  settled  at  Leipstc  in  1*720.  In  1721  he 
was  appointed  professor  extraordinary  of  anatomy  and  sur* 
gery.  In  1724  he  obtained  the  chair  of  physiology,  which 
had  become  vacant  by  the  death  of  Rivinus;  in  1737  he 
Was  promoted  to  the  professorship  of  pathology ;  and  iii 
1747  to  that  of  therapeutics.  He  was  also  nominated  per- 
petual deaii  of  the  faculty,  and  consulting  physician  to  the 
court  of  SAxony.  He  did  not  live  long,  however,  to  enjoy 
these  flattering  distinctions ;  for  he  was  carried  off  suddenly 
on  the  19th  of  December  1747,  in  the  fifty-fourth  year  of 
his  age,  by  a  paroxysm  of  asthma. 

He  left  only  three  different  works,  the  first  of  which, 
entitled  "  Institutiones  Chirurgise  Rationalis,  turn  medicas, 
tnoi  manualis,''  Leipsic,  1745,  was  published  by  himself. 
It  passed  through  several  editions.  The  second,  entitled 
"  Opusculorum  Chirurgicorum  et  Anatomicorum  Tomi 
duo :'  Dissertationes  et  Prolusiones,*'  ibid.  1749,  was  edited 
by  his  son,  Frederic  Platner,  a  professor  of  law.  And  the 
third,  entitled  "Ars  medendi  singulis  morbis  accommoda- 
la,"  ibid.  1765,  which  had  been  bequeathed  by  the  author  to 
bis  pupil  J.  B.  Boehmer,  upon  condition  that  it  should  not 
be  published,  was  printed  by  a  bookseller,  Fritsch,  into 
whose  hands^a  copy  of  it  fell  eighteen  years  after  the  au- 
thor's death.* 

PEATO,  the  most  illustrious  of  the  Greek  philosophers, 
and  whose  sect  outlived  every  other,  was  by  descent  an 
Athenian,  but  born  in  the  island  of  iEgina,  then  subject  to 
Athens.  His  origin  is  traced  back,  on  his  father  Aristo^s 
side,  to  Codrus ;  and  on  that  of  his  mother  Pericthione, 
through  five'  generations,  to  Solon.  The  time  of  his  birth 
is  commonly  placed  in  the  first  year  of  the  eighty-eighth 
olympiad,  oi"  B.  C.  428  ;  but  Brucker  thinks,  it  may  per- 
haps be  more  accurately  fixed  in  the  third  year  of  the 
eighty-seventh  olympiad,  or  B.  C.  430.  He  gave  early 
indications  of  an  extensive  and  original  genius,  and  was, 
instructed  in  the  rudiments  of  letters  by  the  grammarian 
Dionysius,  and  trained  in  athletic  exercises  by  Aristo  of 
Argos.  He  applied  also  with  great  diligence  to  the  art6  of 
painting  and  poetry,  and  produced  an  epic  poem,  which 
he  had  the  wisdom  afterwards,  upon  comparing  it  with 
Homielr,  to  commit  to  the  flames.  At  the  age  of  twenty 
years,  he  cotaposed  a  dramatic  piece,  which  was  about  to 
be  performed  on  the  theatre,  but  the  day  before  the  in- 

1  £lo7,  Diet.  Hist,  de  Medicine*— «Ree8*s  Cyclop9dia« 


*3  •    P  t  A  T  O. 

,tended  exhibi^on,  he  happened  to  hear,  a  discoarse  of  So* 
crates,  which  induced  him  to  withdraw  the  piece,  and  re<^ 
linquish  the  muses  for  the  study  pf  philosophy.  Accord* 
ingly  he  became  a  regular  pupil  of  Socrates  for  eight  years, 
and  although  he  sometimes  mixed  foreign  tenets  with  tbos^ 
of  his  master,  always  preserved  a  strong  attachment  to  bimy 
and  attended  him  at  his  trial.  During  the  imprisonment 
also  of  that  celebrated  philosopher,  Plato  bad  an  opportu- 
nity of  hearing  his  sentiments  on  the  immortality  of  the 
soul,  the  substance  of  which  be  inserted  in  his  beautiful 
dialogue  entitled  ^<  PhsDdo,''  along  with  some  of  his  own 
peculiar  opinipns.  On  the  death  of  Socrates,  he  retired, 
With  other  friends  of  Socrates,  to  Megara,  where  they  were 
hospitably  entertained  by  Euclid,  who  taught  Plato  the 
art  of  reasoning,  and  probably  increased  his  fondness  for 
disputation.  ' 

Desirous  of  making  himself  master  of  all  the  wisdom  apd 
learning  which  the  age  could  furnish,  Plato  commenced 
his  travels  with  visiting  that  part  of  Italy,  called  Magna 
Gracia^  where  he  was  instructed  in  all  the  mysteries  of  the 
Pythagorean  system,  the  subtleties  of  which  be  afterwai:ds 
too  freely  blended  with  the  more  simple  doctrine  of  So- 
crates. He  next  visited  Theodorus  of  Cyrene,  and  when 
under  this  master  he  found  himself  sufficiently  instructed 
in  the  elements  of  mathematics,  he  determined  to  study 
astronomy,  and  other  sciences,  in  Egypt,  and  that  he  might 
travel  with  safety,  he  assumed  the  character  of  a  mev* 
chant.  Wherever  he  came,  he  obtained  information  from 
the  Egyptian  priests  concerning  their  astronomical  obser- 
vations and  calculations ;  and  it  has  been  asserted,  that 
Plato  acquired  in  Egypt  his  opinions  concerning  the  origin 
of  the  world,  and  learned  the  doctrines  of  transmigration, 
and  the  immortality  of  the  soni :  but  it  is  more  probable 
that  he  learned  the  latter  doctrine  from  Socrates,  and  the 
former  from  Pythagoras.  Nor,,  according  to  Brucker,  is 
there  more  reason  for  thinking  that  he  learned  in  Egypt, 
the  doctrine  of  the  Hebrews,  and  enriched  his  system  from 
the  sacred  Scriptures,  although  the  contrary  has  b^eo 
maintained  by  several  eminent  Jewish  and  Christian  wri- 
ters, and  wa^  commonly  received  by  the  Christian  fathers. 
As  to  the  supposed  agreement  between  the  Mosaic  and 
Platonic  doctrines,  that  historian  thinks  that  either  the 
agreement  is  imaginary,  or  it  consists  in  such  particulars 
as  might  be  easily  discovered  by  the  light  of  reason* 


P  L  AT  O.  « 

;  After.  learning  what  distant  countries  could  teacfa,  Plato 
returned  to  Italy,  .to  the  Pythagorean  school  at  Tarentum, 
where  he  endeavoured  to  improve  his  own  system,  by  a 
nuzture  of  the  Pythagorean,  as  then  taught  by  Archytas, 
Timttus,  and  others.  And  afterwards,,  when  he  visited 
l^cily,  be  retained  such  an  attachment  to  the  Italic  school, 
ttbat,. through  the  bounty  of  Dionysius,  he  purchased,  at 
a  vast,  price,  several  books,  which  contained  the  doctrine 
of  Pythagoras,  from  Philoiaus,  one  of  his  followers.  In 
this  way  Plato  accumulated  his  knowledge.  His  dialectics 
he  borrowed  from  Euclid  of  Megara ;  the  principles  of  na* 
tural  philosophy  he  learned  in  the  Eleatic  school  from  Her- 
mogenes  and  Cratylus :  and  combining  these  with  the 
Pythagorean  doctrine  of  natural  causes,  he  framed  from 
both  his  system  of  metaphysics.  Mathematics  and  astro- 
nomy be  was  taught  in  the  Cyrenaic  school,  and  by  the 
Egyptian  priests.  From  Socrates  he  imbibed  the  pure 
principles  of  moral  and  political  wisdom ;  but  he  after* 
wards  obscured  their  simplicity  by  Pythagorean  specula* 
tions. 

Returning  home  richly  stored  with  knowledge  of  various 
kinds,  he  settled  in  Athens,   and  formed  his  celebrated 
school  of  philosophy.     The  place  which  he  made  choice 
of  for.  this  purpose  was  a  public  grove,  called  the  Academy, 
from  Hecademus,  who  left  it  to  the  citizens  for  the  pur- 
pose of  gymnastic  exercises.     Adorned  with  statues,  tem- 
ples, and  sepulchres,  planted  with  lofty  plane-trees,  and 
intersected  by  a  gentle  stream,  it  afforded  a  delightful  re- 
treat for  philosophy  and  the  muses.     Within  this  inclosure 
be  possessed,  as  a  part  of  his  humble  patrimony,  purchased 
at  the  price  of  three  thousand  drachmas,  a  small  garden,  in 
which  he  opened  a  school,  and  to  shew  the  value  he  placed 
on  mathematical  studies,  and  how  neeessary  a  preparatioa 
be  thought  them  for  higher  speculations,  he  placed  an  in- 
scription over  the  door,  the  meaning  of  which  is,  '^  Let  no 
one^  who  is  unacquainted  with  geometry,    enter  here.^* 
He  soon  became  ranked  among  the  most  eminent  philoso- 
phers, and  his  travels  into  distant  countries,  where  learn- 
ing and  wisdom  flourished,  gave  him  celebrity  among  his 
brethren^  none  of  whom  had  ventured  to  institute  a  school 
in  Athens,  .except  Arisdppus,  the  freedom  of  whose  man- 
ners had  brought  him  into  discredit.     Plato  alone  inherited 
the  popularity  of  Socrates,  and  besides  a  crowd  of  young 
scholars^  persons  of  the  first  distinction  frequented  the 


44  P  LA  TO. 

academy, ,  females  not  excepted,  whose  curiosity  indtieed 
them  to  put  on  the  male  apparel  for  this  purpose.     Sueh' 
reputation  could  not  escape  envy  and  jealousy.     Diogenes 
the  Cynic  ridiculed  Plato's  doctrine  of  ideas  and  other  ab- 
stract speculations ;  nor  was  he  himself  without  a  tinge  of 
jealousy,  for  he  and  Xenophon,  who  had  been  fellow  pupils 
of  Socrates,   studiously  avoided   mentioning  each  other. 
Amidst  all   this,  however,    Plato's  fame  increased ;   and 
such  an  opinion  wsis  formed  of  his  political  wisdom,  that 
several  states  solicited  his  assistance  in  tiew  modelling  their 
riespective  forms  of  government.     But  while  he  gave  his 
advice  in  the  affairs  of  Elis,  and  other  Grecian  states,  and 
furnished  a  code  of  laws  for  Syracuse,  he  rejected  the  ap- 
pliqations  of  the  Arcadians  and  Thebans,    because  they 
refused  to  adopt  the  plan  of  his  republic,  which  prescribed 
an  equal  distribution  of  property.     He  was  also  in  high  es-' 
teem  with  several  princes,  particularly  Arcfaelaiis,  king  of 
Macedon,  and  Dionysius,  tyrant  of  Sicily.     At  three  dif- 
ferent periods  he  visited  the  court  of  this  hitter  prince,  and 
made  several  bold,  but  unsuccessful  attempts  to  subdue 
bis  haughty  and  tyrannical  spirit.     A  brief  relation  of  the 
particulars  of  these  visits  to  Sicily,  may  serve  to  cast  some 
light  upon  the  character  of  our' philosopher. 

The  professed  object  of  Plato's  first  visit  to  Sicily,,  which 
happened  in  the  fortieth  year  of  his  age,  during  the  reiga 
of  the  elder  Dionysius,  the  son  of  Hermocrates,  was,  to 
take  a  survey  of  the  island,  and  particularly  to  observe  the 
wonders  of  Mount  Etna.     Whilst  he  was  resident  at  Syra- 
cuse,   he  was  employed  in  the  instruction  of  Dion,  the 
king's  brother-in-law,    who  possessed  e'xcellent  abilities, 
but  had  not  escaped  the  general  depravity  of  the  court. 
Such,  however,   was  the  influence  of  Plato's  instructions, 
that  he  became  an  ardent  lover  of  wisdom,   and  hoping 
that  philosophy  might  produce  the  same  effect  upon  Dio* 
oysius,  he  procured  an  interview  between  Plato  and  the 
tyrant.     This  had  like  to  have  proved  fotal,  for  Donysins, 
perceiving    that    the   philosopher  levelled  his  discourse 
against  the  vices  and  cruelties  of  his  reign,  dismissed  him 
with  high  displeasure  from  his  presence,  and  conceived  a 
design  against  his  life.     And  although  he  did  not  accom-i 
plish  this  barbarous  intention,  he  procured  him  to  be  sold 
as  a. slave  in  the  island  of  £gina,  the  inhabitants  of  vthicli 
were  then  at  war  with  the  Athenians.     Plato,  however, 
could  not  long  remain  unnoticed :  Anicerris,  a  Cyrenaio 


PLATO.  45 

phik|sppbef ,  who  happened  to  be  at  that  time  in  the 
i^nd,  discovered  him,  and  purchasing  bU  freedooiy  sent 
bicn  home  to  Athens,  and  afterwards  refused  the  repayment 
of  the  purchase*money,  that,  as  he  $aid|  Plato's  friendly 
might  not  mpuopolize  the  honour  of  serving  so  illustrious 
a  philosopher. 

After  a  short  interval,  Dionysius,  repenting  of  his  unjuA 
resentment,  wrote  to  Plato,  inviting  him  to  return  to  Syra-» 
cuse,  to  which  Plato  answered,  with  some  contempt,  that 
philosophy  would  not  allow  him  leisure  to  think  of  Diony<^ 
aus.     He  wasf  induced,  however,  to  return  by  another  ex-« 
pedient.     Plato  had  made  Dion  a  determined  votary  of 
virtue,  and  he  naturally  wished  to  extend  this  advants^e 
to  the  younger  Dionysins,  who  also  expressed  a  most  ear<4    ' 
nest  desire  to  becod9e  acquainted  with  Plato.  Letters  weroi 
then  dispatched  to  him,  from  the  tyrant,  from  Dion  and 
spveral  followers  of  Pythagoras,  importuning  him  to  return 
tp  Syracuse,  and  take  upon  him  the  education  of  the  young- 
prince.     After  considerable  hesitation,  he  consented,  and 
is  said  to  bavQ  bad  some  kind  of  promise  on  the  part  of 
Dionysius  that  he  would  adopt  the  Platonic  form  of  go* 
vernment.     In  the  mean  time  the  enemies  of  Dion  pre* 
vailed  upon  Dionysius  to  recall  from  exile  Pbiiistus,    a 
man  of  tyrannical  principles  and  spirit,  who,  they  hoped, 
^ould  oppose  the  doctrines  and  measures  of  Plato.     The 
philosopher  in  the  mean  time  was  conducted  to  Syracuse 
with  public  honours;  the  king  himself  r^eived  him  into 
bis  chariot,  and  sacrifices  were  offered  in  congratulation  of 
his  arrival.    New  regulations  were  immediately  introduced ; 
the  licentiousness  of  the  court  was  restrained ;  moderation 
reigned  in  all  public  festivals ;  the  king  assumed  an  air  of    . 
benignity  ;^  philosophy  was  studied  by  bis  courtiers ;  and 
every  good  man  assured  himself  of  a  happy  revolution  in 
the  state  of  public  manners.     It  was  now  that  Pbilistus 
a^nd  his  adherents  found  means  to  rekindle  the  jealousy  of 
the  tyrant,  and  through  their  intrigues,  Dion  became  so 
obnoxious  to  Dionysius,  that  he  ordered  him  to  be  impri- 
soned, and  afterwards  banished  him  into  Italy.  With  Plato, 
however,  he  continued  to  keep  up  some  appearance  of 
friendship,   and   under  that  pretence   allotted   Plato  an 
apariaaent  ^n  his  palace,  but  at  the  ;iame  time  placed  a 
lecret  gnard  nbout  him,  that  no  one  might  visit  him  with- 
out his  knowledge.    At  length,  upon  the  commencement 
<^  a.  WSM^«  Dionysius  sent  Plato  back  into  his  own  country^ 


. 


46  PL  AT  O. 

with  a  promise,  that  he  would  recal  both  him  and  Dion' 
upon  the  return  of  peace.     Part  of  this  promise  he  was 
soon  inclined  to  keep,  by  recalling  Plato  ;  but  the  philoso- 
pher received  his  solicitations  with  coolness,  pleaded  in 
excuse  his  advanced  age,  and  reminded  the  tyrant  of  the' 
violation  of  his  promise  respecting  Dion  ;  nor  was  it  until' 
the  request  of  Dionysius  was  seconded  by  the  in  treaties  of* 
the  wife  and  sister  of  Dion,  and  by  the  importunities  of 
Archytas  of  Tarentnm,   and  other  Pythagorean  philoso*' 
phers,  to  whom  the  tyrant  bad  pledged  himself  for  the 
performance  of  his  promises,  that  he  could  be  prevailed 
upon  to  return. 

On  his  third  arrival  he  was  received  with  great  respect  ' 
by  Dionysius,  who  now  seemed  wholly  divested  of  his  for-' 
mer  resentments,  listened  to  his  doctrines  with  pleasui^e, 
aiid  presented  him  with  eighty  talents  in  gold.    The  court 
indeed  was  not  much  improved,  nor  was  the  disposition  of 
the  tyrant  really  changed,  yet  Plato  supported  the  credit 
of  philosophy  with   great  dignity,  and  had  considerable 
influence  and  authority.     But  as  be  soon  found  that  he 
could  not  procure  the  recall  of  Dion,  and  that  there  wa^ 
little  sincerity  in  the  professions  of  Dionysius,  he  requested' 
permission   to   return   to   Greece^      The  permission   was' 
granted,  and  a  ship  provided  ;  but  before  it  coOld  set  sail, 
Dionysius  retracted  his  promise,  and  detained  Plato  in 
Syracuse.     This  conduct  being  attended  with  complaints 
on  the  part  of  Plato,  the  tyrant  vVas  so  irritated  as  to  dis- 
oniss  him  from  his  court,  and  put  him  under  a  guard  of 
soldiers,  whom  false  rumours  had  incensed  against  him. 
His  Pythagorean  friends  at  Tarentum,  being  informed  of 
his  dangerous  situation,  immediately  dispatched  an   em- 
bassy to  Dionysius:,  demanding  an  instant  completion  of 
his  promise  to  Archytas.     The  tyrant,  not  daring  to  refuse 
this  demand,  with  a  view  to  pacify  Plato  gave  him  a  mag- 
nificent entertainment,  and  sent  him  away  loaded  with  rich 
presents. 

Plato,  now  restored  to  his  country  and  his  school,  de- 
voted himself-  to  science,  and  spent  the  latst  years  of  a 
long  life  in  the  instruction  of  youth.  Having  enjoyed  the . 
advantage  of  an  athletic  constitution,  and  lived  all  bis  days 
temperately,  he  arrived  at  the  eighty-first,  or,  accoiding 
to  some  writers,  the  seventy-ninth,  year  of  his  age,  and 
died,  through  the  mere  decay  of  nature,  in  the  first  y^Or 
of  the  hundred  and  eighth  olympiad.     He  p^sed  hb  whdle 


PLATO.  47 

t 

life  in  a  state  of  celibacy,  and  therefore  left  no  natural 
heirs,  but  transferred  hU  effects  by  will  to  bin  friend  Adi- 
amantus.  The  grove  and  gardenj  which  had  been  the 
scene  of  his  philosophical  labours,  at  last  afforded  him  a 
sepulchre.  Statues  and  altars  were  erected  to  his  memory ; 
the  day  of  his  birth  long  continued  to  be  celebrated  as  a 
festival  by  his  followers ;  and  his  portrait  is  to  this  day* 
preserved  in  gems. 

The  personal  character  of  Plato  has  been  very  differently 
represented.  On  the  one  hand,  his  encomiasts  have  not 
foiled  to  adorn  him  with  every  excellence,  and  to  express 
the  most  superstitious  veneration  for  his  memory.  His  ene- 
mies, on  the  other,  have  not  scrupled  to  load  him  with  re- 
proach, and  to  charge  him  with  practices  inconsistent  with 
the  purity  of  the  philosophical  character.  Several  anec- 
dotes, however,  are  preserved,  which  reflect  honour  upon 
his  morals  and  principles.  He  had  in  particular  an  extra- 
ordinary command  of  temper.  When  he  was  told  that  his 
enemies  were  busily  employed  in  circulating  reports  to  his 
disadvantage,  he  said,  *^  I  will  live  so,  that  none  shall 
believe  them.''  One  of  his  friends  remarking,  that  he' 
seemed  as  desirous  to  learn  himself^  as  to  teach  others, 
asked  him,  how  long  he  intended  to  be  a  scholar  ?  ^<  As 
long,"  says  he,  *^  as  I  am  not  ashamed  to  grow  wiser  and 
better." 

It  is  from  the  writings  of  Plato,  chiefly,  that  we  are  to 
form  a  judgment  of  his  merit  as  a  philosopher,  and  of  the 
service  which  he  rendered  to  science.  No  one  can  beeon- 
versant  with  these  without  perceiving,  that  his  diction 
always  retained,  a  strong,  tincture  of  that  poetical  spirit 
which  he  discovered  in  his  first  productions.  This  is  the 
principal  ground  of  those  lofty  encomiums,-  which  both 
antient  and  modern  critics  have  passed  upon  his  language, 
&nd,  particularly,  of' the -high  estimation  in  which  it  was 
held  by  Cicero,  who,  treating  on  the  subject  of  language, 
says,  that  **  if  Jupiter  were  to  speak  in  the  Greek  tongue^ 
he  would  borrow  the  style  of  Plato."  The  accurate  Stagy- 
rite  describes  it,  as  **  a  middle  species  of  diction,  between 
verse  and  prose.'*  Some  of  his  dialogues  are  elevated  by 
luch  sublime  and  glowing  conceptions,  are  enriched  with 
<ucfa  c6pioos  and  splendid  diction,  and  flow  in  so  harmo- 
ftioos  a  rytbmus,  that  they  may  truly  be  pronounced  highly 
poetical.  Most  of  them  are  justly  admired  for  their  lite^ 
laryttierit;  the  intrpductioos  are  pertinent  and  amusing; 


L 


48  PLATO. 

the  course  of  the  debate,  or  conversation],  is  clearly  marii^ejii  ; 
the  characters  are  accurately  supported ;  every  speaker 
has  his  proper  place,  language,  and  manners;  the  scenery 
of  the  conference  is  painted  in  lively  colouring ;  and  the 
whole  is,  with  admirable  art,  adorned  and  enlivened  by 
those  minute  embellishments,  which  render  the  colloquial 
mode  of  writing  so  peculiarly  pleasing.  Even  upon  ab- 
stract subjects,  whether  moral,  metaphysical,  or  ^matha^ 
matical,  the  lauguage  of  Pla|o  is  often  clear  as  the  running 
stream,  and  in  simplicity  and  sweetness  vies^  with  the  hum* 
l)le  violet  which  perfumes  the  vale.  In  the^e  beautiful 
partii  of  his  works,  it  has  been  conjectured,  not  without 
probability,  that  Socrates  and  Lysias  were  his  models.  At 
other  times,  however,  we  6nd  him  swelling  into  the  turgid 
style,  a  tipcture  of  which  he  seems  to  have  retained  from 
l^is  juvenile  studies,  and  involving  himself  in  obscurities,, 
which  were  the  offspring  of  a  lofty  fancy,  or  were  borrowed 
from  the  Italic  school.  Several  ancient  critics  have  noticed 
tbese  blemishes  in  the  writings  of  Plato.  Dionysius  Haliv 
carnassensis  particularly  censures  Plato  for  the  barsbnesa 
of  his  metaphors,  and  bis  bold  innovations  in  the  use  of 
t^rms,  and  quotes  from  bis  Phasdrus  eicamples  of  the  bom- 
bast^ the  pnerile,  $ind  the  frigid  style.  The  same  inequality, 
which  is  so  apparent  in  the  style  pf  Plato,  may  also  be  ob- 
served in  his  conceptions.  Whilst  he  adheres  to  the  school 
Qf  Socrates,  and  discourses  upon  moral  topics,  be  is  much 
more  pleasing  than  when  be  los^s  himself,  with  Pythagoras, 
in  abstruse  speculations. 

The  Dialogues  of  Plato,  which  treat  of  various  subjects, 
and  were  written  with  different  views,  are  classed  by  the 
ancients  uyiider  the  two  beads  of  didactic  and  i^auisiTive. 
The  Didai;tic,  are  subdivided  into  Speculative,  including^ 
physical  and  logical ;  apd  Practical,  comprehending  ethical 
a|id  political.  The  second  class,  the  inquisitive,  is  cha- 
racterii^ed  by  terms  taken  from  the  athletic  art,  and  divided 
intojbtie  Gymnastic,  and  the  Agonistic ;  the  dialogues  termed 
Gymnastic  were  imagined  to  be  similar  to  the  exercise, 
and  were  subdivided  into  the  Mai/^utio,  as  resembling  tbo 
teaching  of  the  rudiments  of  the  art;  and  the  Peirastic,  as 
represented  by  a  skirmish,  or  trial  of  proficiency.  The 
Agonistic  dialogues,  supposed  to  resemble  the  combat,  were 
either  Endeictic,  exhibiting  a  specimen  of  skill ;  or  Ana* 
treptic,  presenting  the  spectacle  of  a  perfect  defeait.  lo*-^ 
sf;ead  of  this  ifhimsical  classificatiou,  an  aarraDgemcDi  ^  tbe^ 


/■ 


PLATO.  49 

« 

dialogues,  taken  from  the  subjects  on  which  tb^y  treat, 
would  be  much  more  obvious  and  useful.  They  may  not 
improperly  be  divided  into  physical,  logical,  ethical,  and 
political. 

The  writings  of  Plato  were  originally  collected  by  Her- 
luodorus,  one  of  bis  pupils :  they  consist  of  thirty-five 
dialogues,  and  thirteen  epistles.  They  were  first  published 
by  Aldus  Manutius,  at  Venice,  in  1513,  2  vols,  folio.  The 
subsequent  editions  of  Ficiuus  and  Serranus  are  the  most 
valuable ;  but  the  notes  and  interpretation^  of  both  are  to 
be  read  with  caution^  as  not  representing  Plato's  sentiments 
with  fidelity.  The  Deux  Ponts  edition  of  1781,  12  vols. 
8vo,  is  a  copy  of  the  Greek  of  Serranus,  and  the  Latin  of 
Ficinus.  Of  the  ^^  Dialogues  of  Plato,'*  an  edition  was 
published  fay  Foster  at  Oxford,  1745,  8vo,  reprinted  in 
1752  and  1765.  In  1771,  Etwail  published,  at  the  same 
place,  the  '*  Alcibiades,'*  and  ^^  Hipparchus  ;*'  to  which 
he  prefixed. the  life  of  Plato  by  Olympiodorus,  and  the  in* 
tcoductiofl  jof  Albinus.  The  ^^  Euthydemus"'  and  *^  Gor« 
gias"  were  also  published  at  Oxford  in  1784,  by  the  very 
learned  Dr.  Routh,  president  of  Magdelen  college.  There 
are  many  English  translationa.of  the  Dialogues,  but  none 
(uperior  to  those  by  Floyer  Sydenham^  published  in  four 
volumes,  from  1767  to  1780.'  Mr.  Thomas  Taylor  has 
since  published  a  translation  of  the  whole  works  of  Plata, 
including  Sydenham's  share,  with  copious  notes,  &c.  1804, 
5  vols.   4to. 

On  the  philosophy  of  Plato  it  is  not  our  intention  to 
enter.  The  most  moderate*  account  we  have  seen  would 
exceed  our  limits ;  and  as  treated  by  modern  writers  it  forms 
the  history,  not  only  of  a  sect,  but  of  the  various  con** 
troveraies  which  have  arisen  out  of  it  in  the  Christian  world. 
Our  readers  may  be  referred,  with  confidence,  to  Brucker, 
whom  we  have  principally  followed  in  the  preceding  part, 
and  to  an  elaborate  article  in  the  '^  Encyclopedia  Britan-; 
nica."  In  the  seventeenth  century.  Gale,  Ctidworth,  and 
More,  perplexed  themselves  with  the  doctrinfta  of  Plato^ 
which,  however,  are  now  less  studied  and  less  respected; 
In  such  a  wonderful  maze  of  words,  says  Brucker,  does 
Plato  involve  his  notiqns,  that  none  of  his  disciples,  notr 
even  the  sagacious  Stagyrite,  could  unfold  them  ^  and  yet 
we. receive  them  as  sacred  mysteries,  and,  if  we  do  not 
perfectly  comprehend  them,  imagine  that  our  iiUellects 
are  too  feeble  to  penetrate  the  conceptions  of  this  divine 

Vot.  XXV.  E 


50  PLATO* 

» 
philosopher,  and  that  our  eyes  are  blinded  by  that  resplen^  ^ 
dent  blaze  of  truth,  upon  which  his  eagle  sight  could  gaze 
without  injury. 

The  truth  appears  to  have  been^  that  Plato,  ambitious 
of  the  honour  of  forming  a  new  sect,  and  endued  by  nature 
with  more  brilliancy  of  fancy  than  strength  of  judgment, 
collected  the  tenets  of  other  philosophers,  which  were,  in 
many  particulars,  contradictory,  and  could  by  no  exertion 
of  ingenuity  be  brought  to  coalesce ;  and  that,  out  of  this 
heterogeneous  mass,  he  framed  a  confused  system,  desti- 
tute of  form  or  consistency.  This  will  be  acknowledged 
•by  every  one,  who,  in  perusing  the  philosophical  writings 
of  Plato,  is  capable  of  divesting  himself  of  that  blind  re* 
spect  for  antiquity,  by  which  the  learned  so  frequently 
suffer  themselves  to  be  misled.  The  followers,  too,  of 
Plato,  far  from  dispersing  the  clouds  which  from  the  first, 
hung  over  his  system,  appear  to  have  entered  into  a  ge- 
neral combination  to  increase  its  obscurity.  The  succes- 
sive changes,  which  took  place  in  the  academy  after  the- , 
death  of  its  founder,  by  introducing  a  succession  of  new 
opinions,  continually  increased  the  difficulty  of  arriving  at 
the  true  sense  of  Plato.  And  when,  in  a  subsequent  pe- 
riod, the  Platonic  philosophy  was  professed  in  Alexandria, 
it  was  still  further  adulterated  by  an  injudicious  and  absurd 
attempt  to  mould  into  one  system  the  doctrines  of  Plato,* 
the  traditionary  tenets  of  Egypt  and  the  eastern  nations, 
and  the  sacred  creeds  of  the  Jews  and  Christians :  a  coali^ 
tion  which  proved  exceedingly  injurious  both  to  philosophy 
and  religion.  ^ 

PLAUTUS  (Makcus  Accius),  a  comic  writer  of  an- 
cient Rome,  was  bom  at  Sarsina,  a  small  town  in  Umbria, 
a  province  of  Italy ;  his  proper  name  was  Marcus  Accius : 
he  is  supposed  to  nave  acquired  the  surname  of  Phmtus, 
from  having  broad  and  ill-formed  feet  His  parentage 
seems  to  have  been  mean ;  and  some  have  thought  him  the 
son  of  a  slave.  Few  circumstances  of  his  life  are  known ; 
Cicero  has  told  us  in  general  that  he  was  some  years 
younger  than  Nsevius  or  Ennius,  and  that  he  died  the  first 
year  of  the  elder  Cato*s  censorship,  when  Claudius  Pul- 
cher  and  Lucius  Portius  Licinius  were  consuls.  This  was 
about  the  year  of  Rome  569,  when  Terence  was  about 
nine  years  old,  and  184  years  B,  C.    A.  Gellius  says,  thai 

>  Bracker.— Encydopvdia  Britannica  (Dr.  Gkif'i  •ditioo)^  vol.  XV. 


1^  L  A  U  T  U  S.  SL 

9 

f^Uutu^.waa  distinguished  at  the  same  time  for  his  poetry 
upon  the  theatre,  thai  Oato  was  for  his  eloquence  in  the 
fbrum ;  and  obsertes  elsewhere,  from  Varro,  that  he  was 
so  well  paid  for  his  plays,  as  to  think  of  doubling  his  stock 
by  trading;  in  which,  however,  he  was  so  unfortunate, 
that  he  lost  all  he  had  got  by  the  Muses,  and  for  his  sub- 
sistence, was  reduced,  iu  the  time  of  a  general  famine, 
to  work  at  the  mill.  How  long  he  continued  in  this  dis-. 
tress,  is  uncertain ;  but  Varro  adds,  that  the  poet^s  wit  was 
bis  best  support,  and  that  he  composed  three  plays  during 
this  daily  drudgery. 

It  is  doubtful  how  many  plays  he  composed.  We  have 
ooly  twenty  extant,  and  not  all  entire.  Varro  allowed 
t9^enty-six  to  be  of  his  composition,  which  were  all  extant 
in  Gellius's  time.  Some  made  the  number  of  his  plays  to 
exceed  an  hundred  \  but  this  might  arise  from  his  revising 
the  plays  of  other  poets,  which  Gellius  supposes  he  did ; 
siud  Varro^s  account  ought  to  be  decisive.  This  learned 
Soman  bad  written  a  particular  treatise  on  Plautus's  works, 
from  the  second  book  .of  which,  quoted  by  Gellius,  the 
preceding  particulars  are  taken.  Many  other  critics  are 
there  mentioned  by  Gellius,  who  hsid  all  written  some 
pieces  upon  Plautus,  which  shew  the  great  admiration  in 
which  he  wIeis  held  by  the  Romans  ;  and  it  should  seem  as 
if  thia  admiration  continued  long ;  for  there  is  a  passage  ia 
ArnQl>ius,  whence  it  seems  reasonable  to  infer  that  some 
of  his  plays  were  acted  on  solemn  occasions,  so  late  as  the 
reign  of  I)ioclesian.  Two  circumstances  contributed  to 
bis  fame;  the  one,  his  style,  which  was  thought  the 
standard  of  the  purest  Latin,  for  the  learned  Varro  did 
ttot  scruple  to  say,  that  were  the  Muses  to  speak  Latin^; 
they  would  certainly  speak  in  the  language  of  Plautus; 
the  other,  the  exquisite  humour  of  his  characters,  which, 
let  him  above  alll  the  Roman  comic  writers.  This  is  the 
constant  opinion  of  Varro,  Cicero,  Gellius,  Macrobius, 
and  the  nnost  eminent  modern  critics,  as  Lipsius.  the  Sca- 
ligers,  Muretus,  Turnebns,  &c.  Horace  only  blames  the 
coarseness  of  his  wit,  in  which  opinion  a  modern  reader  of 
taste  will  perhaps  be  inclined  to  join.  Bonnell  Thornton 
endeavoured  to  naturalize  them  by  a  translation,  which 
however  is  ^)o  liberal  to  afford  the  mere  English  reader  an 
id^  of  the  humour  which  delighted  a  Roman  audience. 

The  first  edition  of  Plautus  was  edited  by  George  Me- 
fulayi^lid  pttblisbed  at  Venice  in  1472,  fol.    Ttie  most 

B   2 


«  P  L  A  U  T  U  S. 

valuable  of  the  subsequent  editions  are,  that  of  Camtera-^ 
riusy  Basil,  1551,  and  155S,  8vo ;  of  Lambinus,  Paris, 
1577,  fol. ;  of  Taubman,  Francfort  and  Wittemberg, 
1605^  1612,  and  1622,  4to;  the  Variorum  by  Gronovius, 
Amst.  1684,  Svo;  of  Ernesti,  Leipsic,  1760,  2^018.  8vo; 
and  of  Schmeider,  at  Gottingen,  1804,  2  vols.  Svo.* 

PLAYFORD  (John),  a  man  distinguished  in  the  mu- 
iical  world,  was  born  in  1613.  He  was  a  stationer  and  a 
seller  of  musical  instruments,  iniisic-books,  and  music-^ 
pAper,  and  was  clerk  of  the  Temple  church.  What  hit 
education  had  been,  is  not  known ;  but  that  he  had  at- 
tained to  a  considerable  proficiency  in  the  practice  of 
music  and  musical  composition,  is  certain.  His  skill  in 
music  was  not  so  great  as  to  entitle  him  to  the  appellation 
of  a  master  ;  he  knew  nothing  of  the  theory  of  the  science, 
but  was  very  well  versed  in  the  practice,  and  understood 
the  rules  of  composition  well  enough  to  write  good  har- 
mony. He  was  also  the  first  and  the  most  intelligent 
printer  of  music  during  the  seventeenth  century ;  and  be 
and  his  ^n  Henry,  appear,  without  a  special  licence,  or 
authorized  monopoly,  to  have  had  almost  the  whole  busi- 
ness of  furnishing  the  nation  with  musical  instruments, 
music  books,  and  music  paper,  to  themselves.  In  165S 
he  published  the  first  edition  of  his  ^'  Introduction  to  the 
Skill  of  Music,"  a  compendium  compiled  from  Morley, 
Butler,  and  other  more  bulky  and  abstruse  books,  which 
had  so  rapid  a  sale,  that  in  1683  ten  editions  of  it  had 
been  circulated  through  the  kingdom.  The  book,  indeed, 
contained  no  late  discoveries  or  new  doctrines,  either  in 
the  theory  or  practice  of  the  art ;  yet  the  form,  price,  and 
style,  were  so  suited  to  every  kind  of  musical  readers,  that 
it  seems  to  have  been  more  generally  purchased  and  read, 
than  any  elementary  musical  tract  that  ever  appeared  in 
this  or  in  any  other  country. 

In  the  same  year  this  diligent  editor  also  published,  in 
two  separate  books,  small  Svo,  "  Court  Ayres,  by  Dr. 
Charles  Colman,  William  Lawes,  John  Jenkins,  Simpson, 
Child,  Cook,  Rogers,^'  &c.  These  being  published  at  a 
time  when  there  was  properly  no  court,  were  probably 
tunes  which  had  been  used  in  the  masques  performed  at 
Whitehall  during  the  life  of  Charles  I.  In  1671  he  pub- 
lished the  first  edition  of  his  *'  Psalms  and  Hymns  in  solemn 

1  Fabric.  Bibl.  Lat.-«Vo89.  de  Poet.  Lat— >Cru8i08's  LiT«t  of  4h«  lUmi*' 
PatU.— -jCHbdia't  Claasica,  and  Bibl.  Spenceriana. — Sazii  OnomasL 


P  L  A  t  F  O  R  a  51 

Mu8icky.<  in  faure  Pasts,  on  <tbe  common  Tunes  'to  Psalms 
in  Metre  u^ed  in  Parish  churches.  Also  six  Hymns  for 
one  Voice  to  the  Organ,''  folio.  The  several  editions  of 
this  virork^  published  in  various  forms,  at  a  small  price,  ren-* 
dered  its  sale  very  general,  and  psalm-singing  in  parts,  a 
favourite  amusement  in  almost  every  village  in  the  king-" 
dom.  He  die^  about  1693,  and  Tate,  then  poet-laureat,^ 
wrote  an  elegy  upon  him. 

His  second ^OU],  Henry,  succeeded  his  father  asa  music-^ 
seller,  at  fir^t  at  his  shop  in  the  Temple,  but  afterwards  in 
the  Temple  Exchange,  Fleet^street ;  but  the  music-books 
advertised  by  him  were  few  compared  with  those  published 
by  his  father,  ^mqng  them  were  the  "Orpheus  Britan- 
nicus,''  and  the  tei|  sopatas  and  airs  of  Purcell.  He  pub- 
lished, in  1701,  what  he  called  the  second  book  of  the 
"  Pleasant  Musical  Coipp^nion,  .being  a  choice  collection 
of  catches  for  threp  or  four  voices  ;*'  published  chiefly  for 
the.. encouragement  of  the  musical  societies,  which,  he 
said,  would  be  speedily  set  up  in  the  chief  cities  and  towns  * 
of  Englfind.  We  know  not  that  this  was  the  ease,  but 
certainly  the  pqblication  of  Purcell's  catches  in  two  sn^all 
volumes  of  the  elder  Walsh  in  queen  Anne's  time,  was  the 
ffieaqs  of  es|:ablishing  catch-clubs  in  alniost  every  town  in 
the  kingdom.  It  is  cpnjectured  that  Henry  Playford  sur- 
viv^4  ^i^  father  but  a  short  time,  for  we  meet  with  no  pub- 
lication by  him  after  1710.* 

PLPMPiyS  (VoPiscus  FoRTUNATUsj,  an  eminent  phy- 
sici^^n^  was  born  at  Amsterdam  in  December  1601.  He 
studied  at  Ghent^>Louvain,  Leyden,  Padua,  and  Bologna, 
at  which  last  university  be  took  his  degree  of  doctor. 
On  his  return  tq  Holland,  he  began  practice,  but  was  in- 
4pced  to  acc/ept  the  vacant  professorship  of  the  Institutes 
of  Medicine,  at  Louvain^  of  \yhicb  he  took  possession  in 
1633.  At  the  same  time  he  abjured  the  Protestant  faith, 
became  a  Catholic,  and  took  a  new  degree  of  doctor,  in 
conformity  with  the  rules  of  the  university.  In  |the  fol- 
lowing year,  however,  he  quitted  this  chair,  for  the  pro^ 
fessorship  of  pathology.  He  was  soon  afterwards  nominated 
principal  of  the  college  of  Breugel.  He  died  at  Louvain, 
in  December  1.671^  aged  seventy. 

Pl/empius  left  the  following  works  :  ^*  A  Treatise  on  the 
Muscles/'  in  Dutch.     '<  Ophthalmographia,  sive  de  Oculi 

*  Hawkini  aod  Burnay'i  Hiit.  of  Miisic 


Si  PLEMPIUS, 

Fabric^,  ^ctione,  et  tJsu,"  Anast.  1632;  Lovsn.  i648* 
A  translation  pf  the  Anatomy  of  Cabrolius  into  ButcbV' 
with  notes,  Amst.  1633.  '*  Fundamenta,  sen  Institutiones 
Medicins/'  Lov.  1638,  1644,  &c.  In  the  first  edition  of 
this  vforky  Plempi us  doubted  the  circulation  of  the  blood  ; 
but  ia  the  second^  he  was  9  strenuous  advocate  for  thatf 
doctrine.  '*  Animadversion6s  in  veram  Praxim  curandae 
Tertianss  propositam  i  Ooctore  Petro  Barba;*'  ibid.  1642. 
'*  Antimus  Coningius  Peruvflfni  pulveris  defensor,  repulsun 
i  Melippp  FrptyniQ;''  ibid.  1655.  Coningius  is  the  as- 
sumed name  pf  JHonoratus  Fabri ;  Protymns  was  that  as- 
sumed by  Plenipius,  in  order  to  decry  the  use  of  cinchona, 
*<  Avic^nnas  Ganonis  Liber  primus  et  secundus  ex  Arabicft 
Lingua  in  (.atinam  translatus,"  ibid.  1658.  ^'  Tractatus 
de  Aflfectuum  Pilorum  et  Unguium,'*  ibid.  1662.  "  De 
Togatorum  Valetudiqe  tuendft  Commentarius,**  Brux. 
1670.  The  two  following  are  generally  ascribed  to  thitf 
author,  though  Mangetus  and  Lipeuius  (probably  misintpr. 
preting  the  initial)  ascribe  them  to  Francis  Plempius,  yiz. 
**  Munitio  Fundamentprum  Medicinae  V.  F.  Plempii  ad- 
versus  Jacobum  Primerosium,'*  Amst.  1659.  "  Loimograi 
pbia,  sive,  Tractatus  de  Peste,**  ibid.  1664.* 

PLINIUS  SECUNDUS  (Caius),  called/the  elder,  to 
distinguish  him  from  his  nephew,  was  one  of  the  i^ost 
learned  of  the  ancient  Roms^n  writefs,  and  was  born  in  the 
reign  of  Tiberius  Caesar,  about  the  year  of  Christ  2$.  His 
birtn-place  was  Verona,  as  appears  from  his  calling  Catut^ 
lus  bis  countryman,  who  was  unquestionably  of  that  city. 
Tho  ancient  writer  of  his  life,  ascribed  to  Suetonius,  and, 
after  him,  St  Jerom,  have  made  hiip  ^  native  of  Rome; 
father  Hardpuin  has  also  taken  some  pains  to  confirm  this 
notion,  which  however  has  not  prevailed.  We  can  more 
readily  believe  Aulus  Gellius,  who  represents  him  as  one  pf 
the  most  ingenious  mep  of  his  age ;  and  what  is  related  (jf 
his  application  by  his  nephew  the  younger  P)iny,  is  almost 
incredible.  Yet  his  excessive  love  of  study  did  not  spoil 
the  man  of  business,  nor  prevent,  him  from  filling  the 
most  important  offices  with  credit  He  was  a  procurator, 
or  manager  of  the  emperor's  revenue,  in  the  provinces  ojf 
Spain  and  Africa ;  and  was  advanced  to  the  high  dignity 
of  augur.  He  had  also  several  considerable  commands  in 
the  army,  and  was  distinguished  by  his  courage  in  the 
field,  a^  well  as  by  his  eloquence  at  the  bar. 

>  £loy»  Diet  Hi»t— Rces's  Cyclopsdnr. 


P  L  I  N  I  U  1  U 

His  immner  of  life,  as  it  is  described  by  bis  nephew^ 
exhibits  a  degree  of  ii^dustry  and  perseverance  scarcely  to 
4>e  paralleled.  In  suminer  he  always  began  bis  studies  as 
«oon  as  it  was  night:  in  winter,  generally  at  one  in  the 
morning,  but  never  later  than  two,  and  often  at  midnight 
No  man  ever  spent  less  time  inr  bed;  and  sometimes  he 
would,  without  retiring  from  his  books,  indulge  in  a  short 
sl^p,  and  then  pursue  his  studies.  Before  day-break,  it 
<was  his  custom  to  wait  upon  Vespasian,  who  likewise  chose 
that  season  to  transact  business :  and  when  he  had  finished 
the  affairs  which  the  emperor  committed  to  his  charge,  he 
returned  home  again  to  bis  studies.  After  a  slender  repast 
at  noon,  he  would  frequently,  in  the  summer,  if  he  was 
disengaged  from  business,  recline  in  the  sun:  during 
which  time  some  author  was  read  to  him,  from  which  he 
made  extracts  and  observations.  This  was  his  constant 
method,  whatever  book  he  rea,d :  for  it  was  a  ma^im  of 
his,  that  '^  no  book  was  so  bad,  but  something  might  be 
learned  from  it.^  When  this  was  over,  he  generally  went 
into  the  cold-bath^  after  which  he  took  a  slight  refresh* 
meot  of  food  and  rest ;  and  then,  as  if  it  had  been  a  new 
day,  resumed  his  studies  till  supper- time,  when  a  book 
was  again  read  to  him,  upon  which  he  would  make  some 
remarks  as  they!«went  on«  His  nephew  mentions  a  singular 
instance  to  shew  how  parsimonious  he  was  of  his  time,  and 
bow  covetous  of  knowledge.  His  reader  having  pro- 
nounced a  word  wrong,  some  person  at  the  table  made 
him  repeat  it :  upon  which,  Pliny  asked  that  person  if  he 
understood  it?  and  when  he  acknowledged  that  he  did, 
'^  Why  then,''  said  he,  '^  would  you  make  him  go  back 
again  ?  we  have  lost,  by  this  interruption,  above  ten  lines.'' 
In  summer,  he  always  rose  from  supper  by  day-light ;  and 
in  winter,  as  soon  as  it  was  dark.  Such  was  his  way  of  life 
amidst  the  noise  and  hurry  of  the  town  ;  but  in  the  country 
his  whole  time  was  devoted  to  study  without  intermission, 
excepting  only  when  he  bathed,  that  is,  was  actually  in 
the  bath;  for  during  the  operation  of  rubbing  and  wiping,: 
be  was  employed  either  in.  hearing  some  book  read  to  him, 
or  in  dictating  himself.  In  his  journeys,  he  lost  no  time 
from  his  studies,  his  mind  at  those  seasons  being  disen^ 
gaged  from  all  other  thoughts,  and  a  secretary  or  amanti* 
^eiisis  constantly  attended  him  in  his  chariot;  and  that  he 
might  suffer  the  less  interruption  to  his  studies,  instead  of 
wall^ing^  be  always  used  a  carriage  in  Rome.     By  ibis 


56  P  L  I  N  I  U  S, 

r 

extraordinary  application  he  found  leisur^■  to  write  a  great 
many  volumes. 

The  circumstances  of  his  death,  like  his  mantier  of  liv- 
ing,  were  very  singular,  and  are  also  described  at  large  by 
the  elegant  pen  of  his  nephew.  He  was  at  that  time,  with 
a  ;fleet  under  his  command,  at  Misenuro,  in  the  gulf  cf 
Naples ;  his  sister  and  her  son,  the  younger  Pliny,  beiuf^ 
with  him.  On  the  24th  of  August,  in  the  year  79,  about 
one  in  the  afternoon,  his  sister  desired  him  to  observe  a 
cloud  of  a  very  unusual  size  and  shape.  He  was  in  his 
study  ;  but  immediately  arose,  and  went  out  Upon  an  emir 
fience  to  view  it  more  distinctly.  It  was  not  at  that  dis^ 
tance  discernible  from  wh^t  mountain  this  cloud  isaued, 
but  it  was  found  afterwards  to  ascend  from  mount  Vesuvius. 
Its  figure  resembled  that  of  a  pine-tree ;  for  it  shot  up  to  a 
great  height  in  the  form  of  a  trunk,  which  extended  itself  at 
the  top  into  a  sort  of  branches ;  and  it  appeared  sometimes 
bright,  and  sometimes  dark  and  spotted,  as  it  was  either 
more  or  less  impregnated  with  earth  and  cinders.  This  was  a 
noble  phaenomenon  for  the:  philosophic  Pliny,  who  iinmedi- 
ately  ordered  a  light  vessel  to  be  got  ready ;  but  as  he  was 
coming  out  of  the  house,  with  his  tablets  for  his  observa<^ 
tions,  the  mariners  belonging  to  the  gallies  stationed  ac 
Retina,  earnestly  intreated  him  to  come  to  their  assLstance, 
since  that  port  being  situated  at  the  foot  of  mount  Vesu<- 
vius,  there  was  no  way  for  them  to  escape,  but  by  sea. 
He  therefore  ordered  the  gallies  to  put  to  sea,  and  went 
himself  on  board,  with  intention  of  assisting  not  only  Re- 
tina, but  several  other  towns,  situated  upon  that  beautiful 
coast.  He  steered  directly  to  the  point  of  danger^  wbience 
ethers  fled  with  the  utmost  terror;  and  with  so  much  calm<- 
ness  and  presence  of  mind,  as  to  be  able  to  make  and 
dictate  his  observations  upon  the  motion  and  figure  of  that 
dreadful  scene.  He  went  so  nigh  the  mountain,  that  the 
cinders,  which  grew  thicker  and  hotter  the  nearer  he  ap- 
proached, fell  into  the  ships,  together  with  pumice-stones, 
and  black  pieces  of  burning  rock :  they  were  likewise  in 
danger,  ftot  only  of  being  aground  by  the  sudden  retreat 
of  the  sea,  but  also  from  the  vast  fragments  which  rolled 
down  from  the  mountain,  and  obstructed  all  the  shore. 
Here  he  stopped  to  consider,  whether  he  should  return ; 
to  which  the  pilot  advising  him,  "  Fortune,"  said  he,  *^  be* 
friends  the  brave ;  cari;y  me  to  Pomponianus."  Pompo-* 
nianus  was  then  at  Stabips,  a  town  separated  by.  a  gulfj^ 


P  L  I  N  I  U  S;  «7 

which  the  sea,  after  several  windiogs,  forms  upon,  thai: 
shore.     He  foupd  him  in  the  greatest  consternation,  but 
exhorted  him  to  keep  up  his  spirits }  and,  the  more  to 
dissipate  his  fears^  he  ordered,  with  an  air  of  unconcern, 
the  baths  to  be  got  ready  ;  when,  after  having  bathed,  h^ 
sat  down  to  supper  with  apparent  cheerfulnet^s.     In  the 
mean  while,  the  eruption   from  Vesuvius   A^med  out  in 
seFera)  places  with  much  violence,  which  the  darkness  of 
the  night  contributed  to   render  still  more  visible  aqd 
dreadful     Pliny,  to  soothe  the  apprehensions  of  his  friend, 
assured  him  it  was  only  the  burning  of  the  villages,  which. 
the  country  people  had  abandoned  to  the  flames;,  after 
this  be  retired,  and  had  some  sleep.     The  court   whiqh 
led  to  bis  apartment  being  in  the  meantime  almost,  filled 
with  stones  and  ashes,   if  he  had  continued  there  any 
longer,  it  would  have  been  impossible  for.  him  to  have 
made  his  way  out:  it  was  therefore  thought  proper  to 
av?aken  him.     He  got.  up,  and  went  to  Pomponi(tous  and 
the  rest  of  the  company,  who  were  not.unconcerAed  enough 
to  think  of  going  to  bed.     They  consulted  together,  whe- 
ther it  would  be  most  prudent  to  trust  to  the  houses,  which 
now  shook  from  side  to  side  with  frequent  and   violent 
rockings ;  or  to  fly  to  the  open  fields,  where  the  calcined 
stones  and  cinders,  though  light  indeed,  yet  fell  in  large 
showers,  and  threatened  destruction.     In  this  distress  they 
resolved  for  the  fields,  as  the  less  dangerous  situation  of 
the  two;  and  went  out,  having  pillows  tied  upon   their 
heads  with  napkins,  which  was  all  their  defence  against  the 
storms  of  stones. that  fell  around  them.     It  was  now  day 
every  where  else,  but  there  a  deeper  darkness  prevailed 
than  in  the  most  obscure  night;  which,  however,  was  in 
some  degree  dissipated  by  torches,  and  other  lights  of  va* 
rious  kinds.     They  thought  proper  to  go  down  farther  upon 
the  shore,  to  observe  if  they  might  safely  put  out  to  sea; 
but  they  found  the  waves  still  run  extremely  high  and 
boisterous.     There  Pliny,  taking  a  draught  or  two  of  water, 
threw  himself  down  upon  a  cloth  which  was  spread  for  him; 
when  immediately  the  flames  and  a  strong  smell  of  sulphur, 
which  was  the  forerunner  of  them,  dispersed  the  rest  of 
the  company,  and  obliged  him  to  arise.     He  raised  him- 
self, with  the  assistance  of  two  of  his  serviants,  for  be  was 
corpulent,.'  and  instantly  fell  down  dead :  suffocated,  as  his 
nephew  conjectures,  by  some  gross  and  noxious  vapour ; 
for  heh^d  always  yreak  lungs,  and  was. frequently  subjeol: 


ir«  1^  L  I  N  I  u  & 

to  a  difficulty  of  breathing.  As  soon  as  it  was  light  again, 
which  was  not  till  the  third  day  after,  his  body  was^  found 
^entire,  add -without  any  jBarks  of  violence  upon  it;  ex* 
actly  in  the  same  posture  that  he  fell,  and  looking  more 
like  a  man  asleep  than  dead. 

The  sister  and  nephew,  whom  the  uncle  left  at  Misenura, 
continued  there  that  night,  but  had  their  rest  extremely 
broken  and  disturbed.  There  had  been  for  many  days  ^ 
before  some  shocks  of  an  earthquake,  which  was  the  l^ss 
surprising,  as  they  were  always  extremely  frequent  ia 
Campania :  but  they  were  so  particularly  violent  that  night, 
that  they  seemed  to  threaten  a  total  destruction.  When 
the  'morning  came,  the  light  was  exceedingly  faint  and 
languid,  and  the  buildings  continued  to  totter ;  so  that 
Pliny  and  bis  mother  resolved  to  quit  the  town,-  and  the 
people  followed  them  in  the  utmost  consternation.  When 
at  a  convenient  distance  from  the  houlies,  they  stood  stilly 
in  the  midst  of  a  most  dangerous- and  dreadful  scene.  The 
chariots,  they  had  ordered  to  be  drawn  out,  were  so  agi-» 
tated  backwards  and  forwards,  though  upon  the  most  level 
ground,  that  they  could  not  keep  them  stedfast,  even-  hf 
supporting  them  with  large  stones.  The  sea  seemed  to 
roll  back  upon  itself,  and  to  be  driven  from  its  banks  by 
the  convulsive  motion  of  the  earth ;  it  was  certain  at  leasts 
the  shore  was  considerably  enlarged,  and  several  sea  ^m*' 
inals  were  left  upon  it.  On  the  other  side,  a  black  aod 
dreadful  cloud,  bursting  with  an  igneous  serpentine  va«^ 
pour,  darted  out  a  long  train  of  fire,  resembling  flashes  oC 
lightning,  but  much  larger.  Soon  afterwards,  the  cloud 
seemed  to  descend,  and  cover  the  whole  ocean ;  as  indeed^* 
it  entirely  hid  the  island  of  Capreae,  and  the  promontory 
of  Misenum.  Pliny's  mother  earnestly  conjured  him  to 
make  his  escape,  which,  being  young,  for  he  was  only 
eighteen  years  of  age,  he  might  easily  do ;  as  for  herself, 
she  said,  her  age  and  unwieldy  person  rendered  all  at* 
tempts  of  that  sort  impossible:  but  he  refused  to  leave 
her,  and,  taking  her  by  the  band,  led  her  on.  The  ashes 
began  to  fall  upon  them,  though  in  no  great  quantity :  but 
a  thick  smoke,  like  a  torrent,  came  rolling  after  them. 
Pliny  proposed,  while  they  had  any  light,  to  turn  out  of 
the  high  road,  lest  his  mother  should  be  pressed  to  death 
in  the  dark,  by  the  crowd  that  followed  them :  and  they 
had  scarce  stepped  out  of  the  path,  when  utter  darkness 
•ntirely  overspread  them.    Nothing  then  was  to  be  heardy 


P  L  I  N  I  U  S.  59 

»y$  PliiTjry  but  the  shrieks  of  women^  the  screams  of 
children,  and  the  cries  of  men :  some  calling  for  their 
children,  others  for  their  parents,  others  for  their  husbands^ 
and  only  distingnishing  each  other  by  their  voices ;  one 
lamenting  his  own  fate,  another  that  of  his  family,  some 
wishing  to  die  from  the  very  fear  of  dying,  some  lifting  up 
ttfetr  hands  to  the  gods,  but  the  greater  part  imagining 
that  the  last  and  eternal  night  was  comcj  which  was  to  de- 
stroy both  the  gods  and  the  world  together.  At  length  a 
gHmmering  light  appeared,  not  the  return  of  day,  but 
bnly  the  forerunner  of  an  approaching  burst  of  flames, 
which,  however,  fell  at  a  distance  from  them ;  then  s^gain 
they  were' immersed  in  thick  darkness,  and  a  heavy  shower 
of  ashes  rained  upon  them,  which  they  were  obliged  every 
now  and  then  to  shake  off,  to  prevent  being  buried  in  the 
heap.  At  length  this  dreadful  darkness  was  dissipated  by 
degrees,  like  a  cloud  or  smoke:  the  real  day  returned, 
ana  even  the  sun  appeared,  though  very  faintly,  and  as 
when  an  eclipse  is  coming  on  ;  and  every  object  seemed 
changed,  being  covered  over  with  white  ashes,  as  with  a 
deep  snow.  Pliny  owns  very  frankly,  that  his  support^ 
during  this  terrible  phasnomenon,  was  chiefly  founded  in 
that  miserable,  though  strong  consolation,  that  all  man** 
kind  were  involved  in  the  same  calamity,  and  that  the 
world  ttsdf  was  perishing.  They  returned  to  Misenum; 
luft  wltbout  yet-  getting  rid  of  their  fears ;  for  the  earth* 
quake  still  continued,  while,  as  was  extremely  natural  in 
sach  a  situation,  several  enthusiastic  people  ran  up  and 
down,  heightening  their  own  and  their  friends  calamities 
by  terrible  predictions. 

This  event  happened  A.D.  79,  in  the  first  year  of  the 
^peror  Titus;  and  was  probably  the  first  eruption  of 
mount  Vesuvius,  at  least  of  any  consequence,  as  it  is  cer- 
tain we  have  no  particular  accounts  of  any  preceding  erup- 
tion. Dio,  indeed,  and  other  ancient  authors,  speak  of 
this  mountain  as  burning  before ;  but  still  they  describe  it 
is  covered  with  trees  and  vines,  so  that  the  eruptions 
must  have  been  inconsiderable. 

As  to  the  writings  of  Pliny,  his  nephew  informs  us  that 
the  first  book  he  published  was,  a  treatise,  ^'  Concerning 
the  art  of  using  the  javelin  on  horseback,*'  written  when 
he  commanded  ft  troop  of  horse.  He  also  was  the  author 
j^f  ^^  The  Life  of  Pompontus  Secundus,'V  who  was  his 
friend  f  and  ^^  The  history  of  the  Wars  in  Germany ;''  ia 


60  PL  I  N  I  U  S* 

\vbich  be  gave  an  account  of  all  the.  batUes  tUe  Rema^nf 
bad  had  with  the  Germans.  His  nephew  sajs>  ibat  s^ 
dreaxn^  which  occurred  when  he  served  in  the  army  in 
Germany,  first  sqggested  to  him  the  design  of  this  worj^  : 
it  was,  that  Drusus  Nero,  who.  extended  his  conquests 
very  far  into  that  country,  and  there  lost  his  life,  appeared 
to  him,  and  conjured  him  i\6%  to  suffer  bis  memory  to  be 
buried  in  oblivion.  He  wrote  likewise /^  A  treati^se  .uppq 
Eloquence  ;  and  a  piece  of  criticism  '^  concerrung  duhiousi 
Latinity."  This  last  work,  which  w^  publisjied  iu  Ji^ro'« 
reign,  when  the  tyranny  of  the  tim^s  made  it  dangerous  to 
engage  in  studiesf  of  a  freei:  kind,  i^  often  cited.by  Pris?- 
cian.  He  completed  a  history  which  Axifidii^s  Bassus  lefijt 
unfinished,  by  adding  to  it  thirty  bpok?,  which  conti^ine4 
th^  history  of  his  own  times.  Lastly;  be  left  thirty-se^ven 
books  upon  the. subject  of  naturfd  history:. a  wor^  sayf 
bis  nephew,  of  great  compass  and  learning^  and  almost  ^  . 
full  of  variety  as  nature  herself.  It  is  indeed  a.n^ost.valiiy 
able  treasury  of  ancient  knowledge.  For  its  defects,  wbiph 
ih  t)ije  estimation  of  modem  studept^  of  n^tur^l  history 
must  unavoidably  be  numerous,  be  thus  apologiv;^Sy,in  tb^ 
dedication  to  Vespasian:  ^^  The  patb  which  I  hav.a  taken 
has  hitherto  been,  in  a  great  measur^^*  UQtroddep ;  and 
holds  fourth  tp  the  traveller  few  enticenye^t^s.  .  Npne  .of  our 
own  writer^  have,  so  much  as  attempted  tb^ese  subjects; 
and  even  among  the  Greeks  no  one  ba^  treated  of,  tbein  ip 
their  full  extent.  Tbe  generality  pf  autboris  ip  their  pur,- 
suits  attend  chiefly  to  amuseoient;  and  those  who.h^ve  the 
character  of  writing  with  great,  depth  and  re^nement  ar^ 
involved  in  impenetrable  obscurity.  Such  is,  the  extent  of 
my  undertaking,  that  it  comprehends  every  topic  which 
tbe  Greeks  include  under  tbe  name  oiEncyclopadia.;  qf 
which,  however,  some  are  as  yet  utterly  u;ikuown,  and 
others  have  been  rendered  uncertaia  by  excessive  subtletjf. 
Oiher  parts  of  my  subject  have  been  so  often  handled,  that 
readers  are  become  cloyed  with  tbemf^  Arduous  indeed  U 
the  task  to  give  what  is  old  an  appearance  of  novelty ;  to 
add  weight  and  authority  to  what  is  new  \  \o  cast  a.  iuist.ra 
upon  subjects  which  time. has  obscured;  to  rjender  accept- 
able what  is  become  trite  and  disgusting ;  to  obtain  credit 
to  doubtful  relations ;  and,  in  a  word,  to  rep^^»ent  eviery 
-thing  according  to  nature,  and  witli  all  its  toatural  proper- 
ties. A  design  like  this,  even  though  incompletely  exfs- 
cuted,  will  b#.  allowed  to  bis  grand  apd  noble."     He  a4da 


P  L  I  N  I  U  S.  61 

aftemardsy  **  Many  defects  and  errors  bave,  I  doubt  not, 
escaped  me ;  /for,  besides  that  I  partake  of  the  common 
infirmities  of  human  nature,  I  have  written  this  work  in  the 
midst  of  engagements,  at  broken  periods  which  I  have 
stolen  from  sleep/* 

It  would  be  unjust  to  the  memory  of  this  great  man,  not 
to  admit  this  apology  in  its  full  extent;  and  it  would  be 
rtill  more  unjust,  to  judge  of  the  merit  of  his  work,  by  com- 
paring it  with  modern  productions  in  natural  history,  writ- 
ten after  the  additional  observations  of  seventeen  hundred 
years.  Some  allowance  ought  also  to  be  made  for  the 
carelessness  atid  ignorance  of  transcribers,  who  have  so 
mutilated  and  corrupted  this  work,  that,  in  many  places, 
the  author*s  meaning  lies  almost  beyond  the  reach  of  con- 
jecture; 

With  respect  to  philosophical  opinioiis,  Pliny  did  not 
rigidly  adherfe  to  any  sect,  but  occasionally  borrowed  such 
ttsnets  from  each,  as' suited  his  present  inclination  or  pur- 
pose. He  reprobates  the  Epicurean  tenet  of  an  infinity  o^ 
worlds ;  favours  the  Pythagorean  notion  of  the  harn\ony  of 
the  spheres;  speaks  of  the  universe  as  God,  after  the  man- 
ner of  the  stoics  ;' and  sometimes  seems  to  pass  over  into 
the  field  of  tli^  sceptics."  For  the  most  part,  however,  he 
leans  tbwardstb^  docWne  of  Epicurus. 

1*0  the  works  of  this  author  may  be  added  a  vast  quan- 
tity of  manuscripts,  which  he  left  to  hiiS  nephew,  and  for 
which  he  had  been  offered  by  Largius  Licinius  400,000 
lesterces,  that  Is,  about  3200/.  of  our  money.  "You  will 
wonder,*'  siays  his  hejphew,  **  hdw  a  man,  so  engaged  as 
hie  was,  could  find  time  to  compose  such  a  number  of 
books;  and  som^  of  them  too'  upon  abstruse  subjects. 
Your  surprise  will  rise  still 'higher,  when  yoii  hear,  that 
for  some  time  he  engaged  in  the'  profession  of  an  advocate^ 
that  he  died  in  his  56th  yeaf,  that  from  the  time  of  his 
q\!iitting  the  bar  to  his  death  he  was  employed  in  the 
highest  post^,  and  in  the  service  of  his  prince :  but  he  had 
a  quick  apprehension,  joined  to  an  unwearied  application.'* 
Ep.  lii.  5.  Hence  he  became  not  only  a  master  in  polite 
literature,  in  grammar,  eloquence,  and  history,  but  pos- 
sessed a  knowledge  of  the'  various  arts  and  sciences,  geo- 
graphy, mathematics,  philosophy,  astronomy,  medicine,  bo- 
tany, sculpture,  painting,  architecture,  &c.  for  of  all  these 
things  has  he  treated  in  the  very  important  work  that  be 
lias  left  us. 


^8  P  L  1  N  i  U  S» 

The-first  edition  of  Pliny's  <<  Naturalis  HUtom*'  am^ 
from  the  press  of  Spira  at  Venice  in  1469,  and  is  reckoned 
one  of  tbq  most  beautiful,  rare,  and  valuable  publications 
of  the  fifteenth  century.  Mr.  Dibdin  describes  the  copy 
in  lord  Spencer's  library  as  the  finest  extant.  Five  otbef. 
editions  were  published  from  1470  to  1476,  such  was  the 
demand  for  this  store-house  of  natural  history.  Of  theu 
modern  editions^  the  preference  is  usually  given  to  that 
by  the  celebrated  father  Hardouin,  of  which  there  are  two^ 
the  first  ^^iu  usum  Delphini,"  Paris,  5  vols.  4to;  the  se-' 
cond^  1723,  3  vols,  folio,  which  is  a  more  copious,  splen* 
did,  and  critical  performance.  Since  that,  we  have  an 
excellent  edition  by  Franzius,  Leipsic,  1778 — 91,  10  voLs^ 
Avo.  Another  by  Brotier,  Paris,  1779,  6  vols.  3ycr« 
And  a  third,  Bipont,  1783,  6  vols,  8vo.  There  are  trans**^ 
latioBs  of  it,  or  of  parts,  in  all  languages.  That  endles* 
translator  Philemon  Holland  exerted  his  own  andhis  read<^ 
ers*  patience  on  a  version  into  English,  published  in  1601^ 
folio.  ^ 

PLINIUS  CiECILlUS  SECUNDUS  (Caius),  nephew 
of  the'  preceding,  was  born  A.^D.  62,  at  Novocomum,  a 
town  upon  the  lake  Larius,  near  which  he  had  several 
beautiful  villas.  Cscilius  was  the  name  of  his  father,  and 
Plinius  Secundus  that  of  his  mother^s  brother,  who  adopted 
him.  He  discovered  from  his  infancy,  good  talents  and 
an  elegant  taste,  which  he  did  not  fail  to  cultivate,  and  in-, 
forms  us  himself  that  he  wrote  a  Greek  tragedy  at  fourteen 
years  of  age.  He  lost  his  father  when  he  was  young,  and 
had  the  famous  Virginius  for  his  tutor  or  guardian,  of  whom 
he  gives  a  high  character.  He  frequented  the  schools  of 
the  rhetoricians,  and  heard  Quintilian ;  for  whom  he  eveif 
after  entertained  so  high  an  esteem,  that  he  bestowed  a 
considerable  portion  upon  ^his  daughter  at  her  marriage* 
He  was  in  his  eighteenth  year  when  his  uncle  died ;  and  it 
was  then  that  he  began  to  plead  in  the  forum,  the  usuaf 
road  to .  promotion.  About  a  year  after,  he  assumed  the" 
military  character,  and.  went  into  Syria  with  the  commis- 
sion of  tribune :  but  as  this  did  not  suit  his  tast^,  he  re** 
turned  after  a  campaign,  or,  two.  He  tells  Us^  that  in  hi* 
passage  homewards  he  was  detained  by  contrary  winds  at 
the  island  Icaria,  and  that  he  employed  himself  in  making 

1  Plioii  Epistolae.— MelmolVf  Plioy.— tracker.— Saxii  OoottAit— 'DibdiaH 
CiMsici  and  Bibl.  Speocer. 


P  L  I  N  1  US.  e» 

veirses :  h^  efilarges,  in  the  same  places  upon  hisr  poetical^ 
efibrt*;  but  in  this  respect,  like  Cicero,  he  valaed  biraselrf. 
upon  a  talent  which  he  did  not  eminently  possess. 

Upon  his  return  from  Syria,  he  settled  at  Rome,  in  the 
reign  of  Domitian.  During  this  most  perilous  time,  he 
codtiflued  to  plead  in  the  forum,  where  he  was  distin« 
guished,  not  more  by  his  uncommon  abilities  and  eloquence, 
than  by  bis  great  resolution  and  courage,  which  enabled, 
htm  to  speak  boldly,  when  hardly  any  one  else  could  ven« 
tore  to  speak  at  alL  On  these  accounts  he  was  often  singled 
out  by  the  senate,  to  defend  the  plundered  provinces 
against  their  oppressive  governors,  and  to  manage  other 
causes  of  a  like  important  and  dangerous  nature.  One  of 
these  causes  was  in  favour  of  the  province  of  Bsetica,  in 
their  prosecution  of  Bsbius  Massa ;  in  which  he  acquired 
so  general  an  applause,  that  the  emperor  Nerva,  then  a 
private  man,  and  in  banishment  at  Tarentum,  wrote  him  a 
letter,  in  which  he  congratulated,  not  only  Pliny,  but  the 
age  which  had  produced  an  example  so  much  in  the  spi- 
rit oftte  ancients.  Pliny  relates  this  aflPair,  in  a  letter  to 
Tacitus;  uod  he  was  so. pleased  with  it  himself,  that  ha 
eoDild  not  help  informing  his  correspondent  that  he  should 
not  be- sorry  to  find  it  recorded  in  his  history.  He  obtained 
the  offices  of  questor  and  tribune,  and  escaped  the  pro- 
scriptions of  the.  tyrannical  reign  of  Domitian.  I'here  it^ 
however,  reason  to  believe  that  he  owed  his  safety  to  the 
death  of  the  emperor,  as  his  name  was  afterwards  found  in 
that  savage^s  tablets  among  the  number  of  those  who  were 
destined  to  detraction. 

He  had  married, on  settling  at  Ron;ie,  but  losing  his  wife 
in  the  beginning  of  Nerva's  reign,  he  soon  after  took  his 
beloved  Calphurnia;  of  whom  we  read  so  much  in  his 
Epistles.  He  had  not  however  any  children  by  either  of 
his  wives ;  and  hence  we  find  him  thanking  Trajan  for  the 
JUS  trium  liberarum,  which  he  afterwards  obtained  of  that 
emperor  for  his  friend  Suetonius  Tranquillus.  He  was  pro* 
moted  to  the  consulate  by  Trajan  in  the  year  100,  when  he 
was  thirty*eight  years  of  age :  and  in  this  office  pronounced 
that  famous  panegyric,  which  has  ever  since  been  ad- 
mired, as  well  for  the  copiousness  of  the  topics,  as  the  ele- 
gance of  address.  He  was  then  elected  augur,  and  after- 
wards made  proconsul  of  Bithynia;  whence  he  wrote  to 
Trajan  that  curious  letter  concerning  the  primitive  Chris«< 
lians,   wjiiicb,   with  Trajan's  rescript,   is  happily  extant 


64  P  L  I  N  I  U  S. 

among  his  "  Epistles."  "  Pliny's  letter,'*  as  Melofioth  ob- 
serves, in  a  note  upon  the  passage,  ^^  is  esteemed  as  al- 
most the  only  genuine  monument  of  ecclesiastical  anti- 
quity, relating  to  the  times  immediately  succeeding  the 
apostles,  it  being  written  at  most  not  above  forty  years 
after  the  death  of  iSt.  Paul.  It  was  preserved  by  the 
Christians  themselves,  as  a  clear  and  unsuspicious  evidence 
of  the  purity  of  their  doctrines  ;  and  is  frequently  appealed 
to  hf  the  early  writers  of  the  church,  against  the  calum- 
nies of  their  adversaries.'*  It  is  not  known  what  became  of 
Pliny,  after  his  return  from  Bithynia  ;  nor  have  we  any  in- 
formation as  to  the  time  of  his  death  ;  but  it  is  conjectured 
that  he  died  either  a  little  before,  or  soon  after,  his  patron 
^he  emperor  Trajan,  that  is,  about  A.  D.  1 16. 

Pliuy  was  unquestionably  a  man  of  talents,  and  various' 
accomplishments,  and  a  man  of  virtue  ;  but  in  >dj$iike 
of  the  Christians  he  seems  to  have  indulged  equally  hi^ 
master  Trajan,  whose  liberal  sentiments  respecting  infor- 
mers in  his  short  letter  cannot  be  sufficiently  admired. 
Pliny  wrote  and  published  a  great  number  of  books :  but 
nothing  has  escaped  the  wreck  of  time,  except  the  books 
of  Epistles,  and  the  **  Panegyric  upon  Trajan,"  which  has 
ever  been  considered  as  a  nraster-piece.  His  Letters  seem 
to  have  been  intended  for  the  public  ;  and  in  them  he  may 
be  considered  as  writing  his  own  memoirs.  Every  epistle 
is  a  kind  of  historical  sketch,  in  which  we  have  a  view  of 
him  in  some  striking  attitude,  either  of  active  or  contem* 
plative  life.  In  them  are  preserved  anecdotes  of  many 
eniinent  persons,  whose  works  are  come  down  to  u^s,  as 
Suetonius,  Silius  Italicus,  Martial,  Tacitus,  knd  Quinti- 
lian ;  and  of  curious  facts,  which  throw  great  light  upon 
the  history  of  those  times.  They  are  written  with  great 
politeness  and  spirit ;  and,  if  they  abound  too  much  in 
turn  and  metaphor,  we  must  impute  it  to  that  degeneracy 
of  taste,  which  was  then  accompanying  the  degenerate 
manners  of  Rome.  Pliny,  however,  seems  to  have  pre- 
served himself  in  this  latter  respect  frotin  the  general  con-  ' 
tagion  :  whatever  the  manners  of  the  Romans  were,  his 
were  pure  and  incorrupt.  His  writings  breathe  a  spirit  of 
great  goodness  and  humanity  :  his  only  imperfection  is,  h^ 
was  too  desirous  that  the  public  and  posterity  should  know 
bow  humane  and  good  he  was ;  and  while  he  represents 
himself,  as  he  does,  calling  for  Livj*,  reading  him  at  his 
leisure,  and  even  making  extracts  from  him,  when  the  erup<> 


P  L  I  N  I  U  S.  66 

tion  of  Vesuvius  was  shaking  the  ground  beneath  htm,  and 
•striking  terror  through  the  hearts  of  mortals  by  appearances 
unheard  of  before,  it  is  not  possible  to  avoid  being  of  the 
opinion  of  those,  who  think  that  he  had^  with  all  his  virtues, 
something  of  affectation* 

The  ^^  Epistles*'  have  been  translated  into  English  by 
lord  Orrery  ;  but  this  gave  way  to  the  more  elegant  trans- 
lation of  Melmoth ;  some  of  whose  opinions  appear  to 
have  been. borrowed  by  our  predecessors  in  this  and  the 
preceding  life.  The  first  edition  of  the  original  *<  Epis- 
tols'*  is  that  of  Carbo,  printed  probably  by  Valdarfer  at 
Venice^  in  1471,  ifolio.  O/  the  modern  editions,  the  Va- 
riorum, at  Leyden,  1669,  6vo,  is  praised  by  Dr  Har* 
wood  as  one  of  the  scarcest  and  most  valuable  of  the  oc- 
tavo variorum  classics.  There  are  also  correct  and  critical 
editions  by  Thomasius,  Leipsic,  1675,  8vo;  by  Hearne, 
Oxford,  1703,  8vo;  by  Loogolius,  Amst.  1734,  4to;  by 
Gesoer,  Leipsic,  1770,  8vo;  a  beautiful  edition  published 
by  Mr.  Pa^ne  in  1790,  edited  by  Mr.  Homer ;  and  a  very 
recent  one  by  Gierigius,  Leipsic,  1 806,  2  vols.  4to«  Most 
of  these  are  accompanied  by  the  <^  Panegyricus,'*  which 
was  first  printed  separately,  in  1476,  quarto,  without  place 
or  printer's  name.  The  best  edition  since  is  that  of  Schwarz, 
at  Nuremberg,  1746,  4to.^ 

PLOT  (Robert),  eminent  for  being  the  first  who  formed 
a  plan  for  a  natural  history  of  Englahd,  the  son  of  Robert 
Plot,  esq.  captain  of  the  militia,  in  the  hundred  of  Milton, 
la  Kent,  was  bom  in  1640,  at  Sutton  Baron,  in  the 
parish  of  Borden,  in  that  county,  and  educated  at  the 
free-school  of  Wye,  in  the  same  county.  In  March  1658,, 
•be  went  to' Magdaten-hall,  in  Oxford,  where  Josiah  PuUen 
was  his  tutor;  took  a  bachelor  of  arts  degree  in  1661,  a 
master's  in  1664,  and  both  the  degrees  in  law  in  1671. 
He  removed  afterwards  to  University-college,  where  he 
9ras  at  the  expenc^  of  placing  the  statue  of  king  Alfred 
over  the  ball-door.  His  general  knowledge  and  acuteness, 
and. particularly  his  attachment  to  natural  history,  procured 
his  being  chosen,  in  1677,  a  fellow  of  the  royal  society; 
and  in  1682,  elected  one  of  the  secretaries  of  that  learned 
body. .  He  published  their  ^^  Philosophical  Transactions,'* 
from  No.  143^  to  No.  166,  inclusive.     In  1683,  EliasAsh- 

■    ' 

^  VotBiiisde  Hist.  Lat—Melmoth's  translation- —^Life  prefixed   to  tb«  Vari- 
•nuB  dlltiob.-^Dibdia*!  Classics^  itnd  Bibl.  Spenceriana. 

Vot.  XXV.  F  . 


.  I 


66  PLOT. 

mole)  esq.  appointed  him  the  first  keeper  of  his  museum  ^^ 
and  about  the  same  time  be  was  .noqiiinated  by  the  vice-, 
chancellor  the  first  reader  in  chemistry  in  that  university. 
In  1687,  he  was  made  secretary  to  the  earl-marshal,  or 
court  of  chivalry,  which  was  then  renewed,  after  it  had 
lain  dormant  from  the  year  1641.  In  1690,  he  resigned  his 
professorship  of  chemistry,  and  also  his  place  of  keeper  of 
the  museum ;  which  he  then  augmented  by  a  very  largfe 
collection  of  natural  curiosities,  being  such  as  he  had 
figured  and  described  in  his  Histories  of  Oxfordshire  and 
Staffordshire,  and  there  distinguished  by  the  names  of 
"  Scrinium  Plotianum  Oxoniense,"  and."  Scrioium  Plo- 
tfanum  Staffordiense.'*  In  1688  he  received  the  title  of 
Historiographer  to  James  II.  which  he  could  not  long  re- 
tain, as  this  was  just  before  the  abdication  of  that  sovjereigfi. 
In  16d4*'5,  Heory  Howard,  earl-marshal,  nominated  him 
Mowbray  herald  extraordinary ;  and  two  days  after,  he  was 
constituted  registrar  of  the  court  of  honour.  He  died  of 
the  stone,  April  30,  1696,  at  his  house  in  Borden,  and 
was. buried  in  the  .church  there,  where  a  monument  was 
afterwards  erected  to  his  memory.  He  left  two  sons  by 
•his  wife  Rebecca,  widow  of  Henry  Burman,  to  whom  he 

wa^  married  in  August  1690. 

Natural  history  was  his  delight;  and  he  gave  very  agree- 
able specimens  of  it,  in  his  "  Natural  Histories  of  Oxford- 
shire and  Staffordshire."  The  former  was  published  at 
Oxford,  in  1677,  folio,  aqd  reprinted.  1705,  with  additions 
and .  corrections,  by  John  Burman,  M.  A.  fellow,  of  Uni- 
versity-college, his.  step-sou,  and  afterwards  vicar  of 
Nevyington,  Iq  Kent ;  the  latter  was  printed  also  at  Ox^ 
ford,  1686,  in  the  samesize.^..  These  were  intended  a^ 
essays  towards  **  A  Natural  History  of  England;"  for,  in 
order  to  discover  antiquities  and  other  curiosities,  and  to 
promote  learning  and  trade,  he  formed  a  design  of  travel- 
ling through  England  and  Wales*  By  such  researches,,  he 
wa$  persuaded  that  many  additions  might.be  made  to  Cam* 

-  .  • 

*  **  Ineachof  these  volumes  be  re-  scriptioo  for  Plot's  Sloffordsbire  was, 

cords  the  rare  plants  of  tke  countyf  a  penny  a  sheet,  a  penny  a  plate^  and 

^escribes  the  dubious  ones,  and  such  six-pence  <he  m^p.^'  '"Dr.  Plot  was  tht 

as  he  took  fornon-iiescTipts^aud  figures  first  author  of  a  separate  ruluipe  oy 

isever^X  of  them.     To  thcfe  works  the  Prorindal  Natiiral  History;  fn  which* 

English  botanist  owes  the  -Orst  kuuw-  it  is  but  justice  to  add,  that,  with  due 

ledge  of  some  £ngiish  plants."     Put-  allowance  for  the  time  be  mnQte,  h^ 

lency's  Sketches.    Dr.  Pulteney  adds*  l^^*  n^t  been  excelled  by  a^y  subse* 

"  It  is  amusiug  lo  remark  the  price  of  qoent  writer."     IbiA, 

literature  «  century  9go.    The  sub-  .         \  ^ 


PLOT.  67 

^eD*s  Britannia,  and  other  works,  concerning  tfae  history 
and  antiquities  of  England,     He  drew  up  a  plan  of  his 
scheme  in  a  letter  to  bishop  Fell,  which  may  be  seen  at 
the  end  of  the  second  volume  of  Leland's  Itinerary,  of  the 
edition  of  1744.     In  these  Histories,  whatever  is  visible  iu 
the  heavens,'  earth,  and  waters ;  whatever  is  dug  out  of 
the  ground,  whatever  is  natural  or  unnatural ;  and  what- 
ever is  observable  in  art  and  science,  were  the  objects  of 
his  speculation  and  inquiry ;  and  various  and  dissimilar  as 
his  matter  is,  it  is  in   general  well  connected ;  and   his 
transitions  are  easy.     His  books  indeed  deserve  to  be  called 
the  "  natural  and   artificial   histories**  of  these  counties. 
Iq  the  eagerMss  and  rapidity  of  his  various  pursuits,  he 
tQok  upon  tmst,  and  committed  to  writing,  some  things 
which,  upon  mature  consideration,  he  must  have  rejected. 
He  did  not,  perhaps,  know  enough  of  experimental  phi- 
losophy to  exert  a  proper  degree  of  scepticism  in  the  in- 
formation given  Vo  him.     Besides  these  works,  he  was  the 
author  of  several  other  productions.     In   1685,  he  pub- 
lished "  De  Origine  Fontium,  Tentamen  Philosophicum,*' 
8vo;  and  the  nine  following  papers  of  his  are  inserted  in 
the  "Philosophical  Transactions:''  1.  •*  Ari  Account  of 
Eldcn  Hole,  in  Derbyshire,"  No.  2.     2.  "  The  Formation 
of  Salt  and  Sand  from  Brine,*'  No.  145.     3.  "  Discourse 
concerning  the  Effects  of  the  great  Frost  on  Trees  and 
other  Plants,  in   1683,"  No.   165.     4.  "  A  Discourse  of 
perpetual  Lamps,"  No.   166.      5.  **  The  History  of  the 
Weather  at  Oxford,  in  1684  ;  or  the  Observations  of  a  full 
Year,  made  by  Order  of  the  Philosophical  Society  at  Ox- 
ford," No.  169.     6.;  "  A  large  and  curious  Account  of  the 
Amianthos  or  Asbestine  Linen,"   No.  1708.      7.  "  Dis- 
course concerning  the  most  seasonable  Time  of  felling  Tim- 
ber, written  at  the  request  of  Samuel  Pepys,esq.  secretary  of 
the  admiralty,"  No.  192.     8.  **  Of  an  Irishman  of  an  extra- 
ordinary ^^^,  viz.  Edward  Mallone,  nineteen  years  old, 
seven  feet  six  inches  high,"  No.  240.    9.  "  A  Catalogue  of 
Electrical    Bodies,"    No.   245.      In   1680,    he   published 
'''The -Clog,  or  Staffordshire  Almanack,"  engraven  on  a 
copper-plate,  and  inserted  afterwards  in  his  ^*  History  of 
Staffordshire." 

Since  his  decease,  there  have  been  published  two  let- 
ters of  his  )  one  '*  giving  an  Account  of  some  Antiqui- 
ties ;  in  the  County  of  Kjent,"  in  1714,  -8vo,  and  pre- 
served   in    the   "  Bibllotheca    Topographica,''    No,  Vl.; 

F  2 


««,  P  L  O  T. 

another  to  the  earl  of  Arlington,  "  Goncemiog  Thetfori},** 
printed  at  the  end  of  "  The  History  and  Antiquities  of 
Gjastonbury/'  published  by  Hearne,  172P,  8vo. 
.  He  left  several  manuscripts  behind  hioi ;  among  which 
Vere  large  Qiateriais  fpr  *^  The  Natural  Htstpry  of  Keilt^ 
of  ^iddlesex^  and  of  the  City  of  I^ondon/'  which  \m  de? 
afigned  (o  have  writt;en  in  the  sitipe  manner  as  he  had  writ* 
ten  the  histories  of  Oxfordshire  and  Staffordshire*  Hi« 
friend  Dr.  Charlett^  master  of  Univ^ersjty-poUege,  puob 
wished  him  to  undertake  an  edition  of  Pli^y*s  <^  Natural 
History/'  and  a  select  volun^e  pf  fiSS.  froo)  the  A^bmo^ 
l^an,Musebm,  which  he  says  would  be  agreeable  enough 
to  him^  but  too  expensive,  a^  rfsquir^tig  bis  residence  ia 
Oxfordi  where  he  could  PQt  pi^^ptain  hi^  family  so  cheap 
as  at  Sutton  Baron-' 

PLOTINUS,  a  celebrated  Platppic  philosopher,  VM 
born  at  Lycopolis,  in  Egypt,  in  the  year  20^f  but  conr 
cerning  bis  family  or  edu9ation,  nothing  i^  known.  About 
the  age  of  twenty,  he  f\jf^t  pt\idied  philosophy  at  the  dif«> 
fe^^nt  school^  of  Alexandris^,  hut  attached  hiipself  partis 
puiarly  to  Anfimpniqs,  in  whorp  he  found  a  disposition  ta 
superstition  and  fanaticism  lil^e  hi^  own.  On  the  death  of 
^his  preceptor,  having  in  bis  sghoo)  fnsqMenUy  heard  the 
jOrienti^l  philosophy  ^oun^mend^d^  and  expecting  to  find  ia 
it  thsi^t  kipd  of  doPtfine  cono^rnipg  divine  natures  which  he 
was  most  desirous  fif  studying,  he  determined  to  travel 
into  Persia  apd  India,  tp  tearn  wi<«dom  ,of  the  Magi  and 
.Gyrpnosopi|is^ ;  and  M  the  emperor  Gordit^n  was  at  this 
time  undertaking  an  expedition  against  the  Parthians,  PIq- 
tinus  seized  the  ocpasio^),  find  in  the  year  243  joined  the 
eniperor's  army ;  bi^t  the  emperor  being  killed,  Plotinus 
fled  to  Antioch,  and  thenc§  came  to  Rome,  where  Philip 
was  npw  emperor. 

Fo^  some  time  Plotinus  remained  silent,  ip  consec[ueace 
of  the  oath  o£  secrecy  which  he  had  t^ken  in  the  school  of 
^mmpnius;  but  after  bis  f^Uow  disciples,  Herennius  and 
Origines,  had  disclosed  the  ipysteries  of  their  master,  he 
thought  himself  no  longer  boiind  by  his  promisie,  and  l^e- 
'  came  a  public  precep^Q?  in  philosophy,  upon  ecleetie  prin- 
ciples.    During  a  period  of  ten  yearjs,  he  delivered  all  in 

1  Biog.  Brit.— -Ath.  Ox.  vol.  Il.-^haw's  Suffords^ire,  apd  Ifatted'a  K«at<^ 
•OeifyL  Mag.  LXV.  where  is  a  view  of  bis  bouse,  a^  maay  particulars  of  bu 
fismUy. — Granger. — Letters  of  Eminett  Persoa%  3  foil.  Sro.-v^oble^  C«Heg« 
•f  Arms*— Go^gh's  Topography. 


P  L  a  T  I  N  u  s.  «# 

tbe  way  of  convcfsstioB^'  but  at  last  be  fdond  it  neeta^^y 
lo  commit  tbe  substattde  of  bis  lectures  to  vrficifig ;  and 
ihis  being  suffered  to  pass  into  tbe  bands  of  his  pupils  whbdbt 
being  transcribed^  we  cannot  be  surpriced  at  tbe  gresfct  ob- 
scprity  and  confusion  which  mie  still  found  in  bis  wi'iting^, 
ftfi^  all  the  paifM  that  Porphyry  took  to  correct  them.  Uh 
works  are  diattiboted  under  six  classes,  called  Enn^ad^. 
Proobs  Wi^ote  Gommentarieft  upon  tbem,  and  Dexippvls  de^ 
leaded  tbem  against  the  Peripatetics^ 

Although  Plotinus'a  plaft  was  new$  it  was  oi>scure,  and 
be  had  but  few  dtscipWs.  He  Wz§  rtot  the  less  ifssiduotii, 
bowerer^  in  teaching,  and  stadierd  tery  hafd,  preparing 
bimself  by  w j^tcbiirg  and  fastrng.  He  was  $o  re^peeidd  fbr 
itisdofn  and  imegrity,  that  inany  pi^iyate  quarrels  were  te^ 
ferred  to  bis  arbhraiion,  aild  parents  on  their  death-ib^ds 
wene  very  desirous  of  consigning  their  children  to  bis  C8lr€^. 
During  bis  residence  of  iwetity-^ix  year^  at  Rootei  he  be- 
came a  fs^votirite  #itbOriienifs,  airrd  «^duld  bstve  persuaded 
tbat  eufpetor  to  re-build  a  eitiy  in  Campania,  and  people 
it  with  pbijoaophers,  to  be  goverued  by  the  lawsr  5f  Plato ; 
but  this  was  not  effected.  Although  akiHed  in  the  medical 
ar^  be  had  sueh  a  contempt  for  the  body,  ihnt  he  would 
\HBsnsr  take  any  medicines  when  iirdisposerd  ;•  nor  fof  tbe 
same  reason  would  he  suffer  hi^birtb-day  ^  be  ceAebraied, 
or  any  portrait  to  be  taken  of  his  persofi.  Hits  pupil  Ame- 
bu%  bowei'er,  procured  one  by  stealtb^  pai^Affed  while  he 
was  lectwring.  Such  a))stin^cey  and  negkect  of  health, 
turougbt  him  into  a  state  of  disease  and  iinfiriAity^  which 
rendered  the  latter  part  of  his  life  exceedingly  painful. 
When  be  found  his  end  approacbifyg,  be  said  to  Eusto- 
ehius,  ^^  The  divine  principle  within  f&e  is  now  hastening 
to  ntAie  itself  witb  that  divine  being  which  animates  tbc^ 
universe  ;^*  herein  expressing  a  leading  principle  of  hid 
philosophy,  that  tbe  bumaln  soul  is  an  emanation  fi*otti  tbe 
divine  natute,  mid  will  return  to  the  source  whenc!^  it  pfo^ 
toeded,  Plotinus  di^d  iff  the  year  270,  aged  iix^y-^ 
years.  Porphyry  repreieats  bim  as  haviag  been  possessied 
Ipfmiraculons  pdwers,  but  there  is  Mofe  reason  to  couiclude 
from  his  life  and  writings,  that  he  belonged  to  the  class  of 
famttics*  His  natural  tetop^er,  his  education,  his  dyitetby 
all  inclined  him  to  fadaticism.  Suffering  himself  to  be  I^ 
astray  by  a  yolatHe  imagiuation,  from  tbe  pli^A  p&ih  of 
good  sense,  be  poured  forth  crude  and  confused  concept 
tions,  jn  obscute  and  incoherent  language.     Sometime? 


70  P  L  O  T  I  N  U  S. 

he  soared  in  extattc  flights  iiito  the  regions  of  mjrstiGisnf. 
Porphyry  relates^  that  be  ascended  through  all  the  Piatonie 
steps  of  divine  contemplation,  to  the  actual  vision  of  the 
deity  himself,  and  was  admitted  to  such  intercourse  with 
Jiim,  as  no  other  philosopher  ever  enjoyed.  They  who 
are  well  acquainted  with  human  nature,  will  easily  perceive 
in  these  flights,  unequivocal  proofs  of  a  feeble  or  disordered 
mind,  and  will  not  wonder  that  the  system  of  Plotinus  was 
mystical,  and  his  writings  obscure.  It  is  much  to  be  re« 
gretted  that  such  a  man  should  have  becoine,  in  a  great 
degree,  the  preceptor  of  the  world,  and  should,  by  means 
of  his  disciples,  have  every  where  disseminated  a  species 
pf  false  philosophy,  which  was  compounded  of  superstition, 
enthusiasm,  and  imposture.  The  muddy  waters  sent  forth 
from  this  polluted  spring,  were  spread  through  the  most 
celebrated  seats  of  learning,  and  were  even  permitted  to 
mingle  with  the  pure  stream  of  Christian  doctrine.^ 

PLOWDEN  (Edmund),  a  celebrated  lawyer,  the  son 
of  Humphrey  Plowden,  of  Plowden,  in  Shropshire,^  of  au 
ancient  and.  genteel  family^  was  born  in  that  county,  in 
1517,  and  first  studied  philosophy  and  medicine  for  three 
years  at  Cambridge  ;  but  removed  after  a  time  to  Oxford, 
where  he  continued  his  former  studies  for  four  years  more,^ 
and  in  1552,  according  to  Wood,  was  admitted  to  the 
practice  of  physic  and  surgery.  Tanfter  says,  that  when 
he  left  Cambridge,  he  entered  himself  of  the  Middle 
Temple,  and  resuming  the  study  of  physic,  went  then  to 
Oxford.  It  appears,  however,  that  he  finally  determined 
on  the  law  as  a  profession,  and  entered  the  Middle  Temple, 
where  he  sbpn  became  reader.  His  first  reading  was  in 
autumn,  4  and  5  of  Philip  and  Mary ;  and  his  second  was 
in  Lent,  3  Eliz.  In  queen  Mary's  time  he  was  called  to 
the  degree  of  serjeant;  but,  being  zealously  attached  to 
the  Romish  persuasion,,  lost  all  further  hopes  of  prefer*- 
nient, .  on .  the  accession  of  Elizabeth.  He  continued  to 
be  much  consulted  in  private  as  a  counsellor.  He  died 
Feb.  6,  15S4-5,  and  was  buried  in  the  Middle  Temple 
church.  By  a  MS  note  on  a  copy  of  his  Reports  once  im 
the  possession  of  Dr:  Ducarel,  it  appears  thathe  was  trea- 
surer-of  the  Middle  Temple  in. 1572,  the  year  in  which: 
the  hall  was  built.  It  is  added  that  ^^he  was  a  man  of  great 
gravity,  knowledge,  and  integrity ;    in  his  youth .  excess 

'  Gen.  Diet.— Brocker, — Life  b^  Porphyry. — Saxii  Oaoma9t. 


•P  L  O  W  D  E  N.  71 

sively  studious,  so  that  (we  have  it  by  tradition)  in.  three 
years  space  be  went  not  once  out  of  the  Temple." 

The  work  by  which  Mr.  Plowden  is  best  known  by  the 
profession,  is  his  *<  Comoientaries  or  Reports,  containing 
clivers  cases  upon  matters  of  law,  argued  and  determined 
HI  the  reigns  of  Edwa'rd  VI.,  Mary,  Philip  and  Mary,  and 
Eliz."  These  were  originally  written  in  French,  and  the 
edicions  of  1^71,  1578,  1599,  1613,  and  168^,  were  pub- 
lished in  that  language.  It  was  not  until  1761,  that  an 
Eogliah  translation  appeared,  improved  by  many  original 
notes  and  references  to  the  ancient  and  modern  Common 
Law.  books.  To  this  edition  were  added  his  *^  Queries,  'or 
Moot^rBook  for  young  Students,"  and  '*  The  Argument,*' 
in  the.  case  of  William  Morgan  et  al.  v.  Sir  Rice  ManxelL 
Mr.  Elaines  Barrington  calls  Plowden  the  most  accurate  of 
all  reporters ;  and  Mr.  Hargrave  says  that  his  '^  Commen- 
taries'' deservedly  bear  as  high  a  character  k»  any  book  of 
reports  ever  published  in  our  law.V 

PLUCHE  (Antony),  a  French  writer,  born  at  Rheinfis, 
m  1688,  was  early  distinguished  by  his  progress  in  polite 
letters,  and  by  his  amiable  character,  qualities  which  pro- 
cured him  to  be  appointed  classical  professor  in  the  uni- 
versity of  Rheims.  Some  time  after,  he  was  removed  to 
the  professorship  of  rhetoric,'  and  admitted  into  holy'or- 
ders.  Clermont,  bishop  of  Laon,  being  made  acquainted 
with  bis  merit,  offered  him  the  place  of  director  of  the 
college  of  Clermont,  and  he^was  advancing  the  reputation 
of  this  seminary,  when  the  peculiar  opinions  he  held  re- 
specting some  subjects  which  then  interested  the  public, 
obliged  him  to  leave  his  situation.  On  this,  Gasville,  the 
iatendant  of  Rouen,  'appointed  him  tutor  to  his  son,  upon 
the  recommendation  of  the  celebrated  Rollin.  After  this, 
he  webt  to  Parjs,,  where  he  first  gave  lectures  upon  history 
and  geography,  and  then  jicquired  a  considerable  repuia- 
tipu  by  some  works  which  he  published  :  I.  His  *^  Spec- 
tacle de  la  Nature^'  is  generally  known,  having  been  trans- 
lated into  perhaps  all  the  European  languages,  and  was  no 
^faere  more  popular  than  in  England  for  many  years.  This 
work  is  written  with  perspicuity  and  elegance,  and  is  equally 
.  iastructive  and  agreeable ;  its  only  fault  is,  that  the  author 
uses  too  many  words  for  bis  matter,  which,  however,  is 

•  Ath.  Ox.  vol.  I.   new  edit. — Fuller*a  Worthies. — ^Tanner. — Lloyd's   StaU 
\    Woitfaies.— Dodd^fl  Ch.  Hist. — Brid^maii^s  Legal  Bibliography. 


T!» 


P  L  U  CHE. 


perhaps  unavoidable  in  the  diaIog;ue  form  of  wriung.    H.* 
<<  Histoire  du  Ciel/'  in  2  voIa«  12mOy  is  another  work  o^ 
tht.  abb^  Plucbe^  a  kind  of  mythological  history  of  the 
h^aveoSf  Goosisting  of  two  parts^  almost  independent  of 
on.e  another.    The  first,  which  contains  some  learned  la- 
quiriQS  into  the  origin  of  thift  poetic  heavens,  and  an  at- 
tempt to  prov^  that  the  pagan  deities  had  not  been  real 
men,  was  animadverted  upon  by  M.  Silouette,  in  ^<  Ob- 
servation^  on  the  Abb6  Pluche's  History,"  &c.  an  actouat 
of  which  may  be  seen  in  the  *^  History  of  the  Works  of  the' 
Learned*^  for  April  1743,  with  notes  by  Warburton.     3. 
He  wrote  a  tract    also  ^^  De*  artificio  linguarum,''  1735, 
I^moy  which  he  translated  himself,  under  the  title  ci  *^  La 
M^chanique  des  Langaes,*'  in  which  he  prc^oses  a  short 
i^nd  easy  method  of  learning  languages,   by  the  use  of 
translations  instead  of  themes  or  exercises.    4.  <^  Concorde 
de  la  Geographie  des  differens  ages,''  1764,  12mo,  a  post* 
humous  work,  well  conceived,  but  executed  superficially. 
5.  ^^  Harm^nie  des  Pseaumes  et  de  TEvangile,''  1764, 12mo9 
a  translation  of  the  Psalms,  remarkable  for  its  fidelity  and 
elegance,  with  many  learned  notes  of  reference  and  iUos«« 
tration  from  other  partS'  of  Scripture,     Pluche  had  ob*' 
tained  the  abbey  of  Yarenne  St  Maur,  to  which  he  retired 
in  1749,  and  gave  himself  up  entirely  to  devotion  and- 
study,  which  was  a  happy  relief  to  him^  as  be  lost  all  the 
pleasures  of  literary  society,  by  an  incttrable  deafness.    He 
died  of  an  apoplexy,  Nov»20,  1761.     He  was  a  beli0ver 
in  all  the  mysteries  of  his  church,  even  to  an  extreme ; 
and  when  some  free-thinkers  used  to  expre^  their  ajitonish- 
ment  that  a  man  of  abbe  Pinchers  force  of  understanding 
could  think  so  like  the  vulgar,  he  used  to  say,  *^  I  glory 
in  this  :  it  is  more  reasonable  to  believe  the  word  of  God, 
than  to  follow  the  vain  and  uncertain  lights  of  reason."^ 

PI4UKENET  (Leonard),  a  celebrated  English  botanist,  = 
was  born,  as  he  himself  has  recorded,  in  1642,  but  where 
he  was  educated^  oc  in  what  university  he.recieived  bit 
degrees,  has  not  been  ascertained.  It  has  been  conjec- 
tured, from  a  few  circumstances,  that  it  was  at  Cambridge^- 
His  name  seems  of  French  extraction,  plus  fue  net^  afKtbas 
been  Latinized  plus,  quant  nitidus.  He  dates  the  prefaces 
to  bis  works  from  Old  Palace^yard,  WestminM^er,  where 
he  seems  to  have  had  a  small  garden.     It  does  not  appear 

»  Diet.  Hilt. 


P  L  U  K  E  N  E  T-  t  J 

tfast  Jie  tttatned  to  anjr.  codaideraUe  eminence  mhisfprO'^ 

fMion  of  pbjrsic,  and  it  b  snspected  be  was  orAy  an  ap<>^ 

theeary,  hmt  be  was  absorbed  in  the  study  of  plant9,  and 

de?oted  ail  his  leisure  to  tbe  composition  of  his  **  Pbyto-* 

gii^)bia."     He  apured  no. puns  to  procure  specino^ns  of 

rsie.and  itevr  plaBts^  bad  correspondents  in  all  parts  of  the 

world,  and  access  to  the  gardens  of  Hampton-cotirfj  tbenf 

tery  flourishing,  and  all  others  that  were  enriousw     Kq-* 

ketlet  was  one  of  those  to  whom  Ray  was  indebted  foi^  a^^ 

sistance  in^  tbe  arrangeraeDt  of  tbe  second  volume  of  bi# 

histoxy^  and  that  eminent  man  erery  where   bears  the 

stinogest  testimoDy  to  bis  merit.    Yet  he  was  in  want  of 

patronage,  and  felt  that  wafit  severely.     With  Sloane  and 

PetiTer,  two  of  the  first  botanists  of  his  own  age^  he  seeoHf 

to  have  been  at  variance;,  and  censures  their  writings  with 

toe  itiiieh  asperity.     ^<  Plokenet,'*  says  sir  J.  E.  Smieh,' 

whose  opinion  in  such  matters  we  ate  always  happy  to*' 

follow,  ^was,  apparently,  a  man  of  more  solid  learning 

tton  either  of  those  distuigussbed  writers,  aod  having  bfeen 

Itesprosperoos  than  either,  he  was  perhaps  less  dlspo^red 

to  palliate  their  errevs.    As  far  as  we  have  examined,  hh 

Griticisms,  however  severe,  are  not  unjust."    'No  obstat^esi 

daaaped  die  ardour  of  Pluhenet  in  his  fitvourite  pursUir. 

He  was  himself  atthe  charge  of  his  engravings,  and  printed* 

the  whole  work  at  his  own  expence,  with  the  Exception 

of  a  small  subacriplion  of  about  fifty-five  guineas,  whieb 

he  obtainisd  oear  the  conclusion  of  it.     Towards  the  close' 

of  bis  life  he*  is  said  to  hove  been  assisted  by  the  queen, 

ami  to  have  obtained  theMperintendaiice  of  the  garden  at 

Hampton-court.     He  was  also  honoured  with  the  title  of 

myai:  pibfessor  of  botany.    The  time  of  his  decease  i^  not 

pieciisely  ascertained,  but  it  is  probable'  that  he  did  notf 

long  survive  hb  last  ptfblicationy  whrch  appeared  t^  1705. 

tts  works- were,  i;  ^^  Phytographia,  sive  stirpium  illu^tr^um 

^aimsat  cogastoruiH  icones,'^  169'! — 1696,  published  irr 

btir  partsv  and  centakiing  328  plates,  lit  41a.     2.  **  Afma** 

(pestam  BMlanfcuoi,  sive  Phytographi»  Plukenetianas  Ottct* 

ttsstteon,*^  &e;  1696,  4to ;  the  catalogue  is  alphabetical,  and 

<niniaias  iveorr  6000  species,  of  which,  be  tells  us,  500  weret 

D«w.    No  man^  after  Caspar  Bauhine,  bad-  till  then'  ex« 

ttttsied  the  ancient  aivcbors  with  sto  much  attention  as  be 

<lidythae.be  might  settle  bis  synoirj^ms  with  accuracy.     He 

follows  no  system.     3,  **  Almagesti    Botanici  Mantissa/* 

1700,  4to,  with   twenty-five  new  plates.     Besides  many 


L-. 


74  P  L  U  K  E  N  E  T. 

new  plants^  this  volume  cootains  very  nmnerous  adiition^ 
to  the  synonjms  of  the  Almagesturo.  4.  Five  yearrs  afterr 
the  Mantissa  he  published  the  '^  Amaltheum  Botanicum,'^* 
with  three  plates,  4to.  It  abounds  with  new  subjects,  sent 
from  China  and  the  East  Indies,  with  some  from  Florida. 
These  works  of  Plukenet  contain  upwards  of  2740  figures, 
most  of  them  engraved  from  dried  specimens,  and. many 
from  small' sprigs,  destitute  of  flowers,  or  any  parts  of 
fructification,  and  consequently  not  to  be  ascertuned  :  but 
several  of  these,  as  better  specimens  came  to  hand,  ar^ 
figured  again  in  the  subsequent  plates.  As  he  employed  a 
variety , of  artists,  they  are  unequally  executed;  those  b5«' 
Vander  Gucht  have  usually  the  preference.  « It  is  *much 
to  be  regretted  that  he  had  it  not  in  his  power  to  give  his 
figures  on  a  larger  scale  ;  yet,  with  all  their  imperfections^ 
these  publications  form  a  large  treasure  of  botanical  know-' 
l^edge.  The  herbarium  of  Plukenet  consisted  of  -8000 
plants,  an  astonishing  number  to  be  collected  by  a  pri« 
vate  and  not  opulent  individual :  it  came,  after  his  death, 
into  the  hands  of  sir  Hans  Sloane,  and.  is  now  in  the  British 
museum.  His  works  were  republished,  with  new  title* 
pages,  in  1720,  and  entirely  reprinted,  with  some  addi- 
tions, in  1769;  and  in  1779  an  Index :  Linnseanus  to^  his 
plates  were  published  by  Dr.  Giseke^  of  Hamburgh,  which 
contains  a  few  notes,  from  a  MS.  left  by  Plukenet.  The 
original  MS.  of  Pl,ukenet*s  works  is  now  in  the  library  ofi 
sir  J.  £.  Smith,  president,  of  the  Linnssan  society.  Plu* 
mier,  to  be  mentioned  in  the  next  article,,  complimented 
this  learned  botanist  by  giving  his  name  tq  a  plant,  a  na*« 
tive  of  both  Indies.  ^ 

PLUMIER  (Charles),  called  Father  Plumter,  being  a* 
religious,  of  the  order  of  Minims,  was  born  at  Marseilles, 
April  20,  1646,  and  was  a  botanist  not  less  famoos  thant 
his  contemporary  Plukenet.  He  entered  into  his  order  at. 
sixteen,  and  studied  mathematics  and  other  sciences  at> 
Toulouse,  undet  father  Maignan,  of  the  same  society.  H«: 
did  not  only  learn  the  profound  sciences,  but  became  an* 
expert  mechanic.  In  the  art  of  turning  he  became  such  a. 
proficient  as  to  write  a  book  upon  it ;  and  teamed  also  to* 
make  lenses,  mirrors,  microscopes,  and  otiier  matheiiia«*t 
tical  instruments,  all :  which  knowledge  he  gained  from 
Maignan.     He   was  soon   after  sent  by  his  superiors  t« 

*  Pulteney^s  Sketches. — Life  by  sir  J.  E.  Smith,  in  Rees'i  Cyclopti^U. 


P  L  U  M  I  E  R.  7« 

4 
\ 

lome,  where,  by  his  application,  to  mathematics,  optics, 
and  other  studies,  he  nearly  destroyed  his  constitution. 
As  a  relaxation  from  these  severer  sciences,  he  applied  to 
botany,  under  tiie  instruction  of  father  Serjeant,  at  Rome, 
of  Francis  de  Onuphriis,  an  Italian  physician,  and  of  Syl- 
Tins  Boccone,  a  Sicilian.  Being  recalled  by  his  order 
into  Provence,  he  obtained  leave  to  search  the  neighbt>ur«- 
iog  coasts,  and  the  Alps,  for  plants ;  and  soon  became 
acquainted  widi  Tournefort,  then  on  bis  botanical  tour^ 
and  with  Garidel,  professor^'of  botany  at  .Aix.  When  he 
bad  thus  qualified  himself,  he  was  chosen  as  the  associate 
^ioC  Surian,  to  explore  the  French  settlements  in  the  West 
Indies,  as  Sloane  had  lately  examined  Jamaica.  He  ac- 
quitted himself  so  well  that  he  was  twice  afterwards  sent 
at  the*  expence  of  the  king,  whose  botanist  he  was  ap« 
pointed^  with  an  increased  salary  each  time.  Plumier 
passed  two  years  in  those  islands,  and  on  the  neighbouring 
continent,  but  principally  in  Domingo  ;  and  made  designs 
of, many  hundred  plants,  of  the  natural  size,  besides  nu» 
merotts  figures  of  birds,  fishes,  and  insects.  On  his  return 
from  his  second  voyage  he  had  bis  first  work  published  at 
the  Louvre,  at  the  king's  expence,  entitled,  1.  ^^  Descrip- 
tioiis  des  Plantes  de  I'Amerique,'*  fol.  1695,  pp.  94,  108 
pbites.  :  These  figures  consist  of  little  more  than  outlines,*  ' 
but'  being  as  large  as  nature,  and  well  drawn  by  himself, 
produce  a  fine  effect.  On  bis  return  from  his  third  voyage 
He  settled  at  Paris,  and  in  1703  published,  2.  his  ^^  Nova 
Flantarum  Americanarum  Genera/'  4to.  In  the  year  en- 
suing he  was  prevailed  upon  by  M.  Fagon  to  undertake  a- 
voyage  to  Peru,  to  discover  and  delineate  the  Peruvian 
baik.  His  great  zeal  for  the  science,  even  at>  that  age, 
induced  him  to  consent ;  but  while  he  was  waiting  for  the 
ship  near  Cadiz,  he  was  seized  with  a  pleurisy,  and  died 
in  1*704.  Sir^.  E.  Smith  says,  that  as  Rousseau's  Swiss 
herbalist  died  <}f  a  pleurisy,  whilst  employed  in  gathering 
a  sovereign  Alpine  remedy  for  that  disorder  ;  so  it  is  not^ 
improbable  that  Plumier  was  extolling  the  Poly  trichum  (see 
ins:  preface,  p.  2.)  as  ^^  un  antipleuritique  des  plus  assurez," 
wh^'heliimself  fell  a  victim  to  the  very  same  distemper;, 
leaving  his  half-printed  book  to  be  his  monument.  This 
was,  3.  **Trait6  des  Fougeres  de  rAmerique,"  on  the  Ferns' 
of  America,  1705,  folio,  172  plates.  He  published,  as 
above-mentioned,  4.  "  L'Art  deTourner,"  the  Art  of  Turn- 
ing, Lyons,  1701,  and  republished  in  1749.     5.  There  are 


H  P'L  U  M  I  E  R. 

riso  two  disaeFtations  by  biro»  in  the  Journal  det  ^ammd^ 
1694^  and  thai  of  Trevoux,  to  prove,  what  is  ndw  wett 
known^  that  the  cochineal  is  an  insect. 

The  above  works  contained  but  a  small  part  of  the  pro*- 
dvttxitmB  of  Plumier^s  pencil.  Vast  treasures  of  his  draw-^ 
sngSy  io  outline^  bavQ  remained  in  the  French  librariea, 
for  Iti^  nsosi  p^irt  unpttbitshed.  The  late  earl  of  Bute  ob» 
taiiised  copies  of  a  great  pmnber  of  these,  which  after  4iis 
lo^dship^s  death  passed  into  the  hands  of  sir  Joseph  Baalw. 
Ikierbaave  btid  previously,  procured  copies  of  above  itOO, 
done  by  the. accurate  Aubriet,;  under  Vaillant's  hispeation^ 
which  were  afterwards,  in  great  part  ai  leasts  publislied  by 
John  Burman  at  Amsterdam,  between  1755  and.  IT^O. 
These  plates  ave  executed  with  tolerable,  but  by  no  iiieaii|s 
infalUble,  accuracy,  being  far  inferior  in. neatness  and\cor-» 
rectness  to  what  Plumier  himself  published*  Tbe  weiU 
aaeiaiiing  editor  has  overloaded  the  book  with  descriptions 
of  bis  own,,  necessarily  made  from  the  figures,  and  them* 
fore  entirely  superfluous.  They  ar«  indeed  not  unfre^ 
quently  founded  in  misapprehension ;  niH*  has  he  been 
nery  happy  in  the  adaptation  of  his  materials  to  Linnssan 
names^  and  principles. 

Our  author  left  no  herbarium  of  bis  own,  his  collectioii 
of  dried  plants  having  been  lost  at  sea;  but  he  had,  on 
various  occasions,  communicated  dried  specimens  toTounm^ 
fort;,  and  these  still  remain,  with  his  hand*wi'itinig  an-* 
nexed,  in  the  collections  at  Paris.  Lister,  who  visited 
Plumier  in  his  cell  at  the  convent  of  Minifiss  in  that  ci^, 
speaks  of  his  obliging,  and  communicative  manners,  and  of 
bis  ^^ designs  and  paintings  of  plants^  birds,  fishes^  and 
insects  of  the  West  Indies,  all  done  by  himself  very  ae» 
curately."' 

PLUTARCH,  a  great  phili^sopher  at^  historian  of  aii^ 
tiquity,  who  lived  from  the  reign  of  Claudius  to.  that  of 
Adrian,  was  born  at  Cbserofiea,  a  siuall  city  of  Bceotia^  m 
Greece,  which  had  also  been,  the  birth-place  of  Pindar^ 
but  was  far  from  partaking  of  the  proverbial  dulness  of  his 
ctMintry. .  Plutarch^s  family  was  ancient  in  Ch8eronea<:  bis> 
grandfather  Lamprias  was  a  man  eminent  for  bis  learmtigy' 
and  .a  philosopher;  and  is  often  mentioned  by  FlutaKdi  iw 
is  writings,  as  i^  also  bis  father.     Plutarch  was  initiated 


1  Life  by  sir  J.  £.  SoHih,  in  Rees's  CycIoMBdia.— PaltirDtyV  Botany.— Li«- 
Vr's  Joaniey  io  Fari^— Niceron,  ▼ol.  XXXlll. 


PLUTARCH:  11 

I 

•ariy  ib  study »  to  which  be  rfns  naturally  iadined;  and 
wA$  placed  under  AnmiDuius  an  Egyptian,  who,  having 
lau^t  philosophy  with  i epoUtion  at  Ai^xandrta,  tbenoa 
emVelled  into  Greece,  and  settled  at  Athens.  Under  this 
Qiaster  he  made  great  advances  in  knowledge,  but  being 
mors  intent  on  things  than  words,  he  neglected  the  Ian* 
guages.  The  Eoman  language  at  that  time  was  not  only 
the  language  of  Rpme,  but  of  Greece  also^  and  nMich 
iPdofe  used  there  thao  the  French  is  now  in  England.  .Yd 
he  was  so  far  from  regarding  it  then,  that,  as  we  learn 
from  himself,  be  did  not  become  conversant  in  it  till  .the 
decline  of  life;  and,  though  he  is  supposed  to  have  re* 
sided  in  Rome  near  forty  years,  at  different  times,  he  ne^er 
>eems  to  have /aoquir^d  a  competent  skill  in  it. 

After  he  had  received  his  first  instructions  from  Ammo* 
nius,  he  considered  with  himself,  that  a  larger  comnipnc» 
cation  .with  the  wise  and  learned  was  yet  necessary,  and 
therefore  resolved  to  travel.  Egypt  was,  at  that  time,  at 
formerly  it  ,bad  been,  famous  for  learning  |  and  probably 
ibemysterieusness  of  their  doctrine  might  ten^pt  him,  as 
il  had  tempted  Pythagoras  and  others,  to  conirerse  with 
the  priesthood  of  that  country.  This  appears  to  have  been 
partionUrly  his  business,  by  bis  treatise  *^  Of  Isis  and 
Osiris,*'  in  which  he  shews  himself  versed  .in  the  ancient 
theology  and  philosophy  of  the  wise  men.  From  Egypt 
he  returned  into  Greece';  and,  visiting  in  bis  way  all  the 
academies  and  schools  of  the  philosophers,  gathesed  from 
them  many  of  those  observations  with  which  he  has . Abun<* 
dantly  enriched  posterity.  He  does  not  seem  to.  have 
been  attached  to  any  particular  sect,  but  chose  from  each 
0f  them  whatever  be  thought  excellent  and  worthy  to  be 
regarded.  He  could  not  bear  the  paradoxes  of  the  Stoics, 
foib  yet  was*  morearverse  to  the  impiety  of  the  Epicureans  : 
in  many  things  he  followed  Aristotle ;  but  his  favourites 
were  Socrates  and  Plato,  whose  memory  he  reverenced  so 
highly,  that  he  annually  celebrated  their  birth -days^  with 
tnu^Qh  solemnity.  Besides  this,  he  applied  himself  with 
extreme  diligence  to  collect,  not  only  all  books  thai  wete 
excellent  in  their  kind,  hut  also  all  the  sayings  ami  obser- 
vations of  wise  meo,  v^bich  he  had  heard  in  conversation^ 
or  had  received  fsom  others  by  tradition ;  ainl  likewise  to 
consult  the  records  and  public  instruments  preserved  in 
eitiea  which  he  had  visited,  in  his  travels.  He  took  a  par- 
jlici^lar  journey  ta  Sparta,  to  search  the  ar(5hives  of  that 


T«  PL  U  T  A  R  C  H. 

famous  comaionwealth,  to  understand  thoroughly  the  inp<^ 
del  of  their  ancient  government^  the  history  of  their  Iegis<i* 
lators,  their  kings,  and  their  ephori;  and  digested  all 
their  niemorable  deeds  and  sayings  with  so  much  care,  that 
he  has  not  omitted  even  those  of  their  women.  He  took . 
the  same  methods  with  regard  to  many  other  common- 
wealths; and  thus  Wias  enabled  tpleaye  in  his  works  such 
observations  upon  men  and  manners,  as  have  rendered 
bim,  in  the  opinion  of  many,  the  most  valuable  author  of 
antiquity. 

The  circumstances  of  Plutarch's  life  are  not  known,  and 
therefore  cannot  be  related  with  any  exactness.  He  was 
married,  and  his  wife'«  name  was  Timoxena,  as  Rualdus^ 
conjectures  with  probability.  He  had  several  children, 
and  among  them  two  sons,  one  called  Plutarch  after  him- 
self, the  other  Lamprias,  in  memory  of  his  grandfather. 
Laraprias  was  he,  of  all  his  children,  who  seems  to  have 
inherited  his  fatber^s  philosophy;  and  to  him  we  owe  the 
table  or  catalogue  of  Plutarch's  writings,  and  perhaps  also 
his  "Apophthegms."  He  had  a  nephew,  Sextus  Chsero- 
neus,  who  taught  the  emperor  Marcus  Aurelius  the  Greek 
language,  and  was  much  honoured  by  him.  Some  think 
that  the  critic  Longin us  was  of  his  family  ;  and  Apuleius, 
in  tbe  first  book  of  his  Metamorphoses,  affirms  himself  to 
be  diescended  from  him. 

On  what  occasion,  and  at  what  time  of  his  life,  he  went 
to  Rome,  how  long  he  lived  there,  and  when  he  finally  re- 
turned to  his  own  country,  are  all  uncertain.  It  is  pro- 
bable, that  the  fame  of  him,  went  thither  before  him,  not 
only  because  he  had  published  several  of  bis  works,  but 
because  immediately  upon  his  arrival,  as  there  is  reason  to 
beilieve,  he  had  a  great  resort  of  the  Roman  nobility  to  hear 
him  :  for  he  tells  us  himself,  that  he  was  so  taken  up  in 
giving  lectures  of  philosophy  to  the  great  men  of  Rome, 
that  he  bad  not  time  to  make  himself  master  of  the  Latin 
tongue,  which  is  one  of  the  first  things  that  would  natu* 
rally  have  engaged  his  attention.  It  appears,  that  he  was 
several  times  at  Rome ;  and  perhaps  one  motive  to  his  in- 
habiting there  was,  the  intimacy  he  had  contracted  in  some 
of  these  journeys  with  Sossius  Senecio,  a  great  and  worthy 
man,  who  had  been  four  times  consul,  and' to  whom  Pla* 
tarch  has  dedicated  many  of  his  lives.  ,  But  the  great  in^^ 
ducement  which  carried  him  first  to  Rome  was,  undoubt- 
edly, that  which  had  carried  him  into  so  many  other  parts 


PLUTARCK.  7» 

• 

of  the  world ;  'namely,  to  make  obserTadoos  upon  men 
aadomnners,  ^nd  to  collect  materials  for  writing  ^^  The 
hvves  of  the  Roman  Worthies,"  in  the  same  manner  as  he 
bad  already  written  those  of  Greece :  and,  accordingly, 
he  not  only  conversed  with  all  the  living,  but  searched  the 
records  of  the  Capitol,  and  of  all  the  libraries.  Not  but, 
as  we.  learn  from  Suidas,  he  was  entrusted  also  with  the 
management  of  public  affairs  in  the  empire,  during  his 
residence  in  the  metropolis :  >^  Plutarch,''  says  he,  ^'  liyed 
in  thcf  time  of  Trajan,  who  bestowed  on  him  the  consular 
ornaments,  and  also  caused  an  edict  to  be  passed,  that  the 
magistrates  or  o6Scers  of  Illyria  should  do  nothing  in  that 
province  without  his  knowledge  and  approbation.'' 

When»  and  how,  he  was  made  known  to  Trajan,  is  like- 
vvise  uucertain :  but  it  is  generally  supposed,  that  Trajan, 
a  private  man  when  Plutarch  first  came  to  Rome,  was, 
among  other  nobility,-  one  of  his  auditors.  It  is  also  sup* 
posed,  that  this  wise  emperor  made  use  of  him  in  bis 
councils ;  and  much  of  the  happiness  of  his  reign  has  been 
imputed  to  Plutarch.  The  desire  of  visiting  his  native 
country,  so  natural  to  all  men,  and  especially  when  grow- 
ing old,  prevailed  with  him  at  length  to  leave  Italy ;  and^ 
at  bis.returo,  he  was  unanimously  chosen  archon,  or  chief 
magistrate,  of  Ch^eronea,  and  not  long  a;fter  admitted  into 
the  number  of  the  Delphic  ApoUo's  priests.  We  have  no^ 
psyrticulir  aqcount  of  hi^  death,  .either  as  to  the  manner  or 
the. year;  but  conjecture  has  fixed  it  about  the  year  120. 
It  is  evident  that  he  lived,  and  continuc^d  his  studies,  to  an 
extreme  old  age; 

His  works  have  been  divided,  and  they  admit  of  a  tole- 
rably equal  division,  into  "  Liv^s"  and  **  Morals:"  the 
former  of  which,  in  his  own  estimation,  were  to  be  pre- 
feitred,  as  more  noble  than  the  latter.  As  a  biographer 
he  has  ^reat  merit,  and  to  him  we  stand  indebted  for 
jnuch  of  the  knowledge  we  possess,  concerning  several  of 
the  most  eminent  personages  of  antiquity.  His  style  per- 
haps may  be  justly  censured  for  harshness  and  obscurity, 
and  be  has  also  been  criticized  for  some  mistakes  in  Roman 
antiquities,  and  for  a  little  partiality  to  the  Greeks.  On 
tile  other,  band,  he  has  been  justly  praised,  for  sense,  learn^ 
^%9  integrity,  and  a  certain  air  of  goodness,  which  ap- 
pear^  in  all  he  wrote.  Some  have  affirmed  his  works  to 
be  a  kind  of  library,  and  collection  of  all  that  was.  wisely 
iaid.^nd,  done  among  the  ancient  Greeks  and  Romans;; 


L 


V 


rBO  PLUTARCH. 

aod  if  sp,  the  saying  of  Theodoras  Gasa  was  not  extrair*- 
gaot.  This  learned  man,  and  great  predeptor  of  the  Gredi: 
tongae  at  the  revival  of  literature,  being  asked  by  a  friend 
t  ^<  If  learntngniust  suffer  a  general  shipwreck,  and  he  have 
only  his  choice  of  one  author  to  be  preserved,  who  that 
author  should  be  ?"  answered, ''  Plutarch.'"  But  although 
it  is  unquestionable  that  in  extent  and  variety  of  learning 
Piuti^rch  had  few  equals^  he  does  not  appear  to  have  ex- 
celled as  much  in,  depth  and  solidity  of  judgment  Wbetis 
be  expresses  bis  own  conceptions  and  opinions,  be  often 
auppGurts  fthem  by  feeble  and  slender  arguments^:  where  be 
ireports,  and  attempts  to  elucidate,  the  opinions  of  others, 
he  frequently  falls  into  mistakes,  or  is  chargeable  witk 
fliisrepresentatiofis.  In  proof  of  this  assertion/ Br ucker 
meptions  what  he  has  advanced  concerning  Plato's  notion 
^f  the  soul  of  the  world,  and  concerning  the  £ptcureati 
philosophy.  Bruoker  addbi,  that  Plutarch  is  often  inaccu*- 
irate  in  method,  and  sometimes  betrays  a  degree  of  eredu- 
iity  u  nworthy  of  a  philosopher. 

'^  There  have  been  many  editions  of  Plutarch,  but  he  canne 
later  to  the  press  than  most  other  classical  authors*  There 
4vas  00  edition  of  any  part'  of  the  original  Greek,  before 
Aldus  prii^ted  the  ^^  Morals,"  which  was  not  until  1509% 
n^he  *^  Lives"  appeared  first  at  Florence,  by  Junta,  in  1517. 
/The  first  edition  of  the  ^^  Opera  Omnia,"  was  Stephen'^ 
at  Paris,  in  157d,  Greek  and  Latin,  13  vols.  Dr.  Harwood 
ealls  it  one  of  the  most  correct  books  H.  Stephens  evei* 
fMibtished ;  but  other  crities  are  by  no  means  of  this  opi* 
nion.  The  next  was  that  of  Cruserius,  at  Francfort,  1599^ 
•2  vols,  folio)  wh;ch  has  the  advantage  of  Xylander's  excel- 
lent'Latin  version,  who  himself  published  two.  editions, 
Ffanofort,  1620,  and  Paris,  1624,  2^bk.  folio;  both  va^ 
iuable*  Reiske's,  of  Leipsic,  1774>  &c.  12  vols,  ^o,  is 
a  oiost  elaborate  edition,  which,  however,  he  did  not  live 
to  finish.  .But  the  best  of  all  is  that  of  Wy  ttenbacb,  pub- 
lished lately  at  Oxford  in  quarto  and  octavo,  and  too  wbll 
'known  to  scholars  to  require  any  description. 
'  Plutarch's  Works  have  been  translated  into  most  Euro- 
pean kmguftges.  There  is  an  indiffeVentone  in  English  by 
^^rious  bands  of  the  ^'  Morals,"  printed  about  the  begins 
ning  of  the  last  century,  in  five  volumes,  octavo ;  which.was 
acc^ompanied,  about  the  same  time,  by  the  ^'  Lives,'^  trans- 
lated by  Dry  den  and  others  :  a  very  superior  transrlation  of 
she  latter  was  published  by  Dr.  Langhorne  and  bis  brother^ 


P  L  UTAH  C,H- 


81 


f    O 


^kh  has  been  since  corrected,  and  very  much  im{)roved| 
bj  Rir.  WranghatS.  A  good  translation  of  the  "Morals'*  is 
still  a  desideratum.  * 

PLUVINEL  (ANTOiire),  a  gentleman  of  Dftuphtny,  is  ^ 
recoi;ded  as  the  first  who  opened  a  school  for  riding  the 
manege  in  Frauce,  which,  till  then,  could  be  learhed  only 
in  Italy.    He  flourished  in  the  reign  of  Henry  IV.  who  mad«f' 
him  bis  chief  master  of  the  horse,  and  his  chamberlain ; 
besides  which,  he  sent  him  as  an  ambassador  into  Holland.  * 
He  died  at  Paris  in  162^,  having  prepared  a  work,  which 
was  published  five  years  after,  entitled  **  VArt  de  montet 
i  Cheval,^'  folio,  with  plates.   The  figures  are  portraits,  by 
Crispin  de  Pas.  * 

POC0CK  (Edward),  a  learned  English  divine,  and  the 
first  Oriental  scholar  of  his  time,  was  th^  son  of  Edward 
Pocock,  B.  D.  some  time  fellow  of  Magdalen  college,  Ox* 
ford,  and  vicar  of  Chively  in  Berkshire.  He  was  born  at 
Oxford  Nov.  8,  1604,  in  the  parish  of  St.  Peter  in  th<$ 
East.  He  was  sent  early  to  the  free-school  of  Thame, 
where  be  made  such  progress  in  classical  learning,  undef 
Mr.  Richard  Butcher,  an  excellent  teacher,  that  at  the&g^ 
of  fourteen  he  was  thought  fit  for  the  univ^sity,  and  ac*^ 
^ordingly  was  entered  of  Magdalen^hall.  After  two  years 
residence  here,  he  was  a  candidate  for,  and  after  a  vtrf 
strict  examination,  was  elected  to,  a  scholarship  of  Corpus  v 
Christi  college,  to  which  he  removed  in  December  1620,' 
Here,  besides  the  usual  academical  courses,  be  diligently 
perused  the  best  Greek  and  Roman  authors,  and,  among' 
some  papers  writjten  by  him  at  this  time,  were  many  ob* 
servations  and  extracts  from  Quintilian,  Cicero,  Plutarchi 
Plato,  &c.  which  discoveif*  no  common  knowledge  of  what 
he  read.  In  November  1622,  he  was  admitted  bachelor  of 
iurts,  and  about  this  time  was  led,  bywhat  means  we  are 
not  told,  to  apply  to  the  study  of  the  Eastern  language^: 
which  at  that  time  were  taught  privately  at  Oxford  by 
Matthew  Pasor.  (See  Pasor).  In  ^arch  1626,  he  wat 
created  M.  A.  and  having  learned  as  much  as  Pasor  then** 
professed  to  teact^,  he  found  another  able  tutor  for  Easti^rti 
literature  in  the  Rev.  William  Bed  well,  vicar  of  Tottenham  j 
near  London,  whom  his  biographer  praises  as  one  6f  th^' 
first  who  promoted  the  study  of  the  Arabic  language  id^ 

t  Life,  in  Lang^honie's  edition. -—Saxii  OnomMtk 
"^  Moreri.— 'Dick,  itist. 


YoL.  XXY. 


6 


«2  P  O  C  O  C  K. 

Europe.  Under  this  master  Mr.  Pocock  advanced  consider- 
lably  in  what  was  now  become  his  favourite  study ;  and  had 
otherwise  so  much  distinguished  himself  that  the  college 
admitted  him  probationer-fellow  in  July  162S. 

As  the   statutes  required  that  he  should   take  orders  ^ 
within  a  certain  time,  he  applied  to  the  study  of  divinity  ; 
and  while  employed  in  peinising  the  fathers,  councils,  and 
ecclesiastical  writers,  he  found  leisure  to  exhibit  a  speci- 
men'of  his  progress  in  the  oriental  languages  by  preparing 
for  the  press  those  parts  of  the   Syriac   version   of  the 
New  Testament  which  had  never  yet  been  published.     Igj- 
natius,  the  patriarch  of  Antioch,  had  in  the  sixteenth  cen« ' 
tury  sent  Moses  Meridinaius,  a  priest  of  Mesopotamia,  into 
the  West,  to  get  the  Syriac  version  of  the  New  Testament 
printed,'  for  the  use  of  his  churches.     It  was  accordingly  ' 
printed  Jt>y  the  care  and  diligence  ef  Albertus  Widmanstdd,' 
at  Vienna  in  1555.     But  the  Syriac  New  Testament,  which' 
was  followed  in  this  edition,  wanted  the  second  Epistle  of 
3t.  Peter,  the  second  and  third  Epistles  of  St.  John,' the 
Epistle  of  St.  Jude,  and  the  whole  book  of  the  Revelations, 
because,  as  Lewis  de  Dieu  conjectures,  those  parts  of  boty^ 
Scripture^  though  extant  among  them,  were  not  yet  re-»' 
ceiv<sd  into  the  Canon  by  those  Oriental  Churches.     This' 
defect  no  one  had  thought  of  supplying  until  De  Dieo,  on 
the   encouragement,    aud  with   the   assistance  of  Oaniei 
Heinsius,  set  about  the  Revelation,  being  furnished  with  a' 
copy  of  it,  which  had  been* given,  with  many  other  mtanu* 
scripts,;  to  the  university  of  Leyden  by  Joseph  Scaliger. 
Tba.t  version  of  tbe^pocalypse  was  printed  at  Leyden,  in 
]^27,  but  still  the  four  Epistles  were  wanting,  and  those 
Mr.  Pocock  undertook,    being   desirous   that  the  whole 
New. Testament  might  at  length  be'  published  in  that  lan- 
guage, which  was  the  vulgar  tongue  of  our  Saviour  himself 
and  bis  apostles.   A  very  fair  manuscript  for  this  purpose  he 
Jbad  met  with  in  the  Bodleian  Library,  containing  those  Epis* 
ties,  together  with  some   other  parts  of  the  New  Testa« 
Q)ent.     Out  of  this  manuscript^  following  the  example  of 
De  Dieu,  he  transcribed  those  epistles  in  the  Syriac  cha- 
racter: the  same  be  likewise  set  down  in  Hebrew  letters, 
adding'the  points,  not  according  to  the  ordinary,  but  the 
Svriac  rules,  as  they  had  been  delivered  by  those  Ieame4 
Maronites,    Amira   and  ,  Sionita.      He  also  made  a  neir 
translation  of  these  epistles  out  of  Syriac  into  Latin^  com- 
paring it  with  that  of  Etzelius,  and  shewing  on  Tarioi|^ 


.    P  O  C  O  C  K.  «3 

pccasioRs  die  .reason  of  hb  4issent  frqin  htm.  He  also, 
added  the.  original  Greek)  concluding  the  whole  with  a 
number  of  learn^ci  and  useful  notes.  Wlien  fkiisbed^  al- 
though with  the  utmost  care  and  exactnessi  yet  so  great 
was'his  modesty  and  distrust  of  himself,  that  he  could  not 
be|>erauadfd  to  think  It  fit  for. publication,  till  after  it  had 
lain  by  him  about  a  year,  when  he  was  induced  to  consent ' 
to  it^  pub|]cat,ion  by  Gerard  John  Vossius,  who  was  then 
at  Oxford,  and  to  whom  it  had  been  shown  by  Rouse,  the 
ibrariaq,  as  the  production  of  a  young  man  scarcely 
twenty- four  years  old.  Vossius  not  only  persuaded  him  to 
allow  it  tp  be  printed,  but  promised  to  take  it  with  him  to 
Leyden  for  that  purpose.  It  was  accordingly  published 
there  in  1630,  4to,  after  som^  few  corrections  and  altera- 
tions in  the  Latin  version,  in  which  Mr.  Pofock  readily 
acquiesced,  .from  the  pen  of  L^wis  de  Dieu,  to  whoni 
Vossius  committed  the  care  of  the  work. 

In  Dec.  1629  Mr.  Pocpck.  was  ordained  prieit  by  Cor- 
bet, bishop  of  Oxfor<),  by  whom  he  had  some  tifne  before, 
^een  admitted  into  deacon^s  orders,  and  was  now  appointed 
chaplain  to  the  English  merchants  at  Aleppo,  where  he 
arrived  in  Oct.  1630,  and  continued  five  or  six  years. 
Here  he  distlnguishejd  himself  by  an  exemplary  discharge 
of  the  duties  of  bis  function,  and  when  the  plague  broke 
out  in, 1634,  was  not  to  be  diverted  from  what  he  thought 
hii^  duty,  when  the  merchanta  fled  to  the  moUntsiins ;  but 
continued  to  administer  such  comfort  as  was  possible  to  the 
inhabitants , of , the  city^  and  the  merpy  on  which  he  relied 
for  his  own  preservation,  was  remarkably  extiehded  to  his 
countrymen,  not  one  dying  either  of  those  who  left,  or 
tho^e  who  remained  in  the  city.  While  here  he  paid  con- 
siderable attention  to  the  natural  history  of  the  place^  aa 
jEar  as  concerned  the  illustration  of  the  Scriptures,  arid  be- 
«des  making  some  farther  progress  in  the  Hebrew,  Syriac, 
and  Ethiopic  languages,  took  the.  opportunity  which  his. 
jiituation  afforded  of  acquiring  a  familiar  knowledge  of  the 
Arabic.  For  this  purpose  he  agreed  with  an  Arabian  doc- 
tor to  give  him  lessons,  .and  engaged  also  a  servant  of  the 
same  country  to  live  with  him  for  the  sake  of  conversing 
in  the  language.  He  also  studied  such  grammars  an4^ 
^xipons  as  he  could  find  ;  read  the  Alcoran  with  ^reat  care, 
^nd  translated  much  from  books  in  the  Arabic,  particularly 
.a. collection  which  be  procured  pf  6000  proverbs,  contain- 
ing the  wisdom  pf  the  Arabians,  and  referring  to  ibe  most 

Q  2 


84  f  O  C  O  C  K. 

»  '  -     • 

nemarkable  passages  of  their  history.  These  bpportttnitier 
and  advantages  in  time  reconciled  liitti  to  a  situation  which 
at  first  greatly  depressed  .his  spirits ;  the  transition  indeed 
from  Oxford  and  its  scholars  to  Aleppo  and  its  barbarians, 
could  not  but  affect  a  man  of  his  disposition. 

Another  object  he  had  very  much  at  heart  while  here,  wnsi 
the  purchase  of  Arabic  MSS.  in  which  he  had  considerable 
success.  This  appears  at  fWst  to  have  been  done  at  hia/ 
private  expence  and  for  his  private  use;  but  in  a  letter 
from  Laud,  then  bishop  of  London,  dated  Oct  30,  1631^ 
^e  received  a  commission  from  that  munificent  prelate, 
which  must  have  been  highly  gratifying  to  him,  especially 
as  he  had  no  previous  acquaintance  with  his  lordship.  Tb^ 
bishop's  commission  extended  generally  to  the  purchase  ot 
ancient  Creek  coins,  and  such  MSS.  either  in  the  Greek 
or  Eastern  languages,  as  he  thought  would  form  a  valuably 
addition  to  the  university  library.  Whether  any  the  MS&f. 
afterwards  given  by  Laud  to  the  Bodleian  were  procured 
at  this  time  seems  doubtful*  In  a  letter  from  Laud,  theit 
archbishop,  dated  May  1634^  we  find  him  thanking  Pocock 
for  some  Greek  coins,  but  no  mention  of  manuscripts.  lit 
this  lettec,  however,  is  the  first  intimation  of  the  arch* 
bishop^s  design  with  respect  to  the  foundation  of  an  Ara- 
bic professorship  at  Oxford,  and  a  hope  that  Pocock,  be-^ 
fore  his  return,  would  so  far  make  himself  master  of,  that 
language  as  to  be  able  to  teach  it  And  having  carried 
his  design  into  execution  about  two  years  afterwards,  he 
invited  Mr.  Pocock  to  fill  the  new  chair,  with  these  en- 
.couraging  words,  that  ^^  he  could  do  him  no  greater  honour, 
than  to  name  him  to  the  university  for  his  first  professor.*^ 
His  departure  from  Aleppo  seems  to  have  been  much  re^ 
jetted  by  his  Mahometan  friends,  to  whom  he  had  en- 
deared  himself  by  his  amiable  manners ;  and  it  appears  also 
that  he  had  established  such  a  correspondence  as  might  stiQ 
enable  him  to  procure  valuable  manuscripts. 

On  his  return  he  was  admitted,  July  8,  1636,  to  the 
degree  of  bachelor  of  divinity.  On  the  8th  of  August  fol- 
lowing Dr.  Baillie,  president  of  St.  John^s,  and  vice-chan^ 
cellor,  informed  the  convocation  that  archbishop  Laud^ 
then  chancellor  of  the  university,  in  addition  to  his  bene- 
faction of  Arabic  books  to  the  Bodleian^  had  founded  a 
professorship,  and  had  settled  40/.  a-year,  during  his  life, 
on  a  person  who  shotild  read  a  lecture  on  that  language : 
He  then  mentioned  Mr.  Pocock  of  Corpus  Cbristi  as  tbb 


^  O  C  O  C  Jf.  ^ 

.penoD  nomioated  by  jthe  arcbbisliop  far  tha  «>mmibation  pf 

^^  coovocatiqu,  a  man^  as  .tbey  yenr  well  knew^  ^'^mi- 

jaeni  for  bis.  probiijiry  bislfarniag,  and  skill  i|i. languages.** 

Sein^  .accordingly  y^naniiliously  elected,  ^e  entered  on  i|ia 

.  oifiGe  two  days  aftcfi  Aug.  10,  witb  an  inaugural  speeqb, 

part  of  wbicb  was  afterwards  pripted,  ^  aid  Diiem  nots^rum 

in  Carpaefi  Tograi/'  edU*  Qxon.  1661^    After  thi^  iotro- 

,  ductipn,  ithe^  bpoki  wbicb  be  firs^  .uqdertook  to  r^ad  op, 

.  was  tbe  **  Pje;oyjerbs  of  AH,'*  tb^  fourttp  emperor  of  the  Sa- 

.j^ceus,  and  cpusin-gefipao  «4)d  son-in-l^w  of  •M^boo)e^;»  a 

^jnan  of  ;^ucb  ^ccovat  witb  tbftt  loipostor,  not  only  for  I^is 

valour,  bui  knowledge  too,  ibat  be  us.<^  to  declare,  thkt 

;  if^U  ri^e  lieari^ng  of  the.  Axabi^Qs  were  destroyed,  it  migbt 

,.be  foiindtagaia  ifi  AU,.  as  a  Jiving  library.    Upon  tbis 

book  J  Q,b^v^ng  tbp  dir^ctiana  9f  tbe  acebbisbop  in  tbe 

[  .^tiites  be^b^d  prp]i^i4^4i  <^e  wept  an  bour^everv  Wedn^« 

•  f^yM  vf^^tioa-tioie,  ap{l  ifx  jC^nt,  e;KpMaing  th^  sfense  of 

the  au^fsr^  and  the  jtbipgs  relating  to  thf  igr^mi^ar  a|id 

propri€fty  of  tbe  langfiage,  s^d.alfo^bewipg  it^  ^greem^ot 

witb  tbe  Hebr/ew|ai(d  ^y^ao^as^fteii  as  (bene  wi^  p^casipn. 
Tbe  lectf^c;  bei^g  eo^^d,^^  be  usually  ije^ain^d  fpr  soqae 
^  time  iq  t^e  piiUic  acbpol,  to  j^sphe  the  q^ue^tipns  pf  bis 
s  bearers,  ^a^d  satisfy  tbiem  iii  tbair  doubts;  and  always  ttiat 
i^fternopn  gave  ad^^^nee  i^  Jiis.cbapiber  from  one  p'clppk 
.  till  four^  ;to  all  wbo  wottld  come  to  ^iii|\fpr  fi^rtber  cp^« 
^  Jferen^e  aod  direction.  • 

He  dpes^  not  ftppear^^  j^owever,  |o  \^ye  .given  ^ore  tb^n 

one  cpqrse  of  tbpse  lectures  before  be  tooK^  ^econd  jpyr- 

ney  tp  the  Ea^t,  f long  with  Mr*  Jpbn  6rp?tvps,  and  this  by 

.  tbe  arcbbisbop's  epcomf^en^nt,  who  was  still  bent  on 

prppuriqg  OA^yseripts,  a^d  wppld  not  Ipse,  the  advantage 

of  sucb  ageptjE^.    The  arc^bbisbop  also  allowed  him  the  pro- 

. .  fius  of  bis  professorship  to  defray  bis  e^pences,  besides  which 

,\  Mr.  Pocopk  ^^oyed  hi^  fellowship  of  ippr|ius,  and  ba4  a 

.  ^mall  ^^t^  hj  the  d^ath  of  bis  ^Uxpr.    The  whole  annual 

I  pjifpduce  of  t(\k^9e  be  is  supposed  tp  have  expended^  in  diis 

expeditipn,    Puring  bis  absence  Ijilr.  Thomas  Greaves,  with 

,the  a^chbishpp's  cpu^en^  supplied  the  Arabic  lecture.     On 

]^.  Poppqk*s  a^r^Kal  at  Cottstantinc^ple,  the  English  am- 

.^  .bjiss^^dpT)  ^^ir  P^ter  Wypbe,  enteiitained  him  in  his  hpuse 

.  as  bif^  i^bf^plain,  fnd  pssisted  him«  by  his  interest,  in  the 

.  gr;^at.  pt^ject  of  bis  jpumey.     In  pursuit  of  this  he  made 

.    9^f^^:f^^^^^  acc^uaintanqes  among  some  learned  Jews, 

...iP»rtMpjariy  J[fico|>:fto|i^no,  author  of  an. addition  to  Bpx- 


\ 


86  ?  b  c  b  c  K. 

tdtPs  "  Biblioth'eca  Rabbinica/*  a  man  of  great  learnmff 
'and  candour ;  but  his  abfest  assistant  wks  the  learned  and 
tinfortuhatb  Cyril  Lucdr,  panriarch  of  Constantinople  (see 
'  LiJCAft),  to  whom  we  owfe  that  valuable  MS.  the  **  Codex 
;  AlexabdVinus  ;**  and  Nath.  Canoprus;  who  to  avdid  the  fatfe 
'of  bis  blaster  Ltkcar;  came  to  England,  and  lived  for  some 
"  time  under  the  patronage  of  archbishop  Laud,  who  gave 
"^  bim   preferment  in  Christ  church,    from  which  be  was 
'  ejected  in  164^.  '  Ite  derived  some  assistance  also'froift  bis 
''  fellow-labourer  in  th^  collection  of  books  and  M8S.  Chris- 
tian Raviusy'  biit  especially  from  John  Greaves,  whose  zeal 
"in  this  research'  we  have  already  noticed.  ' 

At  length  about  the  beginning  of  1640,  Mri  Pocock's 

y friends  began  to, solicit  his  return;    the  archbishop  in  a 

letter  dated  March  4  6f  that  year  says,  **  I  am  now  goit^g 

to  settle  my  Afabit;  lecture  for  ever  upon  the  university, 

and  I  would  hive  your  name  tb  the  deed,  which  is.  the 

best  honourt  can  do  for  the  service/'     Accordingly  he 

embarked  in  August,  but'  did  not  relufii  home  entirely  by 

sea,  but  through  (jart  of  France  and  Italy.     At  Paris  he 

wak  introduced  to  many'  of  the  learned  men  of  the  time, 

^'pai^ticularly  td  Gabriel  Sionita,  the  celebrated  Maroniie, 

]  audi  to  Grotiujs,  to  whom  he  communicated  a  design  he  had 

'  of  translating  his  treatise  "  De  Veritate**  into  Arabic,  for 

the  benefit  of  tUe  Mitbometa'ns,  many  of  wbom  be  believed 

were  prepared  for  more  light  and  knowledge  than  had  yet 

been  afforded  them,    l^ocock  at  the  same  time  candidly  told 

*  Gfotius,  who  very  much  approved  the  desi^gh,  that  there 
'were  some  things  towards  the  end  of  his  book,  which  he 
'could  not  approve,  viz.  certaiir  opinions,  which,  though 

'   they  are  commonly  in  Europe  charged  on  the  followers  of 

*  Mahomet,  have  yet  no  foundation  in  any  of  their  authentic 
^  writings,  and  are  such  as  they  are  ready  on  all  occasions  to 
'   disclaim.    With  this  freedom  Grotius  was*  so  far  from 

being  displeased,  that  he  beaVtily  thanked  Mr.  Pocbck  for 
'  it,  and  gave  him  authority,  in  the  version  life  intended,  to 
'    e^pun^e  and  alter  whatsoever  he  should  think  fit.  ' 

His  journey  home  was  attended  with  many  melancholy 
circumstances.  While  at  Paris,  and  on  the  rokd,  helieardi 
of  the  commotions  in  England,  and  on  iii^  arrival,  be 
found  his  liberal  patron,  Laud,  a  prisoner  in  the  Tower. 
Here  he  immediately  visited  the  archbishop,  and  their  in- 
terview was  affecting  on  both  sides.  '  The  archbishop 
*'  thanked  bim  for  the  care  he  bad  taken  in  execnting  hia 


P  D  C  0  C  SU  87 

cominissioiit,  aod  for  bis  interesting  correspondence  while 
abrOiad,  adding  that  it  was  no  small  aggravation  of  his  pr^' 
sent  misfortunes  that  be  no  longer  h^d  it  in  his  power  lo- 
'  reward  such  important  services  to  the  cause  4t>f  literature. 
]^Mr.  Pocock  then  went  to  Oxford,  to  dissipate  has  grief^ 
'  and  in  hopes  of  enjoying  sooie  tranquillity  in   a  place 
^  which  ha4  Dot  yet  becontie  the  scene  of  confusion ;  arid 
]  there  he  found  that  the  archbishop  had  settled  the  Arabic 
pfGffessofship  in  perpetuity  by  a  gf&nt  of  lands.     He  hch/r 
resumed  his  lecture,  and  his  private  studies.     In  iC4i  he 
became  acquainted  with  the  celebrated  Jcihn  Seldeh,  who 
was  at  this  time  preparing  for  the  press,  with  no  very  libe* 
ral  design,  some  part  qf  Eutychius's  annals,  iit  Latin  and 
Arabic,  which  he  published  the  year  following,    under 
the  title  of  **  Ori^nes  Alexaudrinae,"  and  'Mr.  Pocoek 
assisted  him  in  collating  and  extracting  from  the  Arabic 
books  in  Oxford.     Selden^'s  friendship  was  afterwards  of 
'  great  importance  to  him,  as  be  had  considerable  infiuen^e 
with  the  republican  party.     In  1642  Oxford  becaiiie  the 
[  seat  of  wair,'  and  was  that  of  learning  only  in  a  secondary 
degree.     Mr.  Pocock  was  however '  removed  from  a  coti« 
stant  residence  for  some  time,  by  the  society^  of  Cdr«A 
'  pus  Christi',  who  bestowed  on  him  the  vacant  liyiBg  of  Cbil« 
'  drey  in  Berkshire,  about  twelve  miles  frokd  Oxford,  which 
of  course  he  could  easily  visit  during  term  tiihe,  when  he 
was  to  read  his  lecture.     As  a  pai^ish  priest^  his  biogVapber 
'  informs  iis,  xthat  *^  he  set  hidiself  with  bis  utmost  diligence 
to  a  conscientious  performatice  of  all  the  ddties  of  his  -cure, 
preaching  twice'  ev^ery  Sunday ;  ajnd  his  Sermons  were  so 
contrived  by  him,  as  to  be  most  usefufto  the  {iersons  who 
were  to  hear  him.     For  though  such  as  he  preached  in  the 
university  were  very  elaborate,^  and  full  of  critical  atid 
other  learning"^  the  discourises  he  delivered 'in  his  parish 
Were  plain  tmd  "easy,    having  nothiri^  in  them  which  be 
'  conceived  to  be  above  the  capacities  even  of  the  mean- 
est of  his  abditors.      And  as   be  cateftilly  avoided  all 
ostehtatioh    of    Icfarhidg^,   'so    hb    wodld    not    indulge 
himself  in   the  practice  of  those    arts,    which    at   that 

*«  Laliiii  *ad ereti Qreefc  fdrmed  no  tbey  likdd  hint?    One  of  them  mi- 

.   VieoMt^eri^bh}  p9tijt  of  theaennoBB  of  uwere6,  **  Onr  fc'anoa  it  one  Mr.  Po* 

<    U>Qse  days.  ,  One  of    Mr.    Popock's  coqk,  a  plain,'  honest  man,  hmty  Mas- 

'    firiends,  as  be  ha^pet>ed  to ^asif through  ter,  they  say,  h«  is  no  Laiiner!"  Life^ 

CSttdre?,  asked  eooie  of  the  parish-  by  Twe^,  p.  23. .  / 
^ .  KMien  who  waa  their  ainisterr  and  how  ** 


r% 


is  TP  6  C  6  C  K. 

r 

^tiiii(e.;W«r^.Tfry.  comxmUft  and  aiuch  admired  by  ordini^^ 

,  p^qpie;  s\icl^9s.  distortions  of  the  countenance,  and  stit^u^e 

gf^ures^  ,a  Tiplent.  and  unpat^ural  way  of  speakingi  i^nd 

jftffected  words  and, phrasesi^  which  being  out  of  the  orcU* 

Inaixy  way  were  therefore  supposed  to  express  somewhat 

i  i^y  oysJi^ciQus,   and  ia  an  high  degree  spiritual,     ^is 

.  conyerfiaUou  too,  was  one  continued  sennou,  powerfully  r^- 

comioendijig  to  all,  who  were  acquainted  with  him,  th^ 

.  seferal  duties  of  Christianity." 

r      But  ail  this^  found  no  protection  against  the  viojence  of 
.  di4Q  Uoa^.     Immediately  after  the  execution  of  archbishop 
L^udi  the  profits  of  his  professorship  were  seized  by  the 
.  i90qji}estratQrB|  as  part  oC  t|iat  pr^elajDe^a  estate^  although  Mr*. 
Pocock^.  in  ft  letter  to  theses  jsiegu^stmtOFs,  endeavoured  to 
«bew  the  utility  of  this  foundation,  to  thq  interests  pf  learn- 
ing, and  hi^  owji  rigjbt.  to.  the  settlement  of  ^be  founder^ 
which  was  .made  with  all  ibe  forms  of  la^«.    This  for  souie 
.  time  had^po  e£Sect.  but  at  last  men  werq  found  ^ven  in.  those 
,  days  wbo.wfu'e  chained  of  such  a  proci^eding,  and  bad  ti^e 
.  qourage  to.  expose  its  cruelty  a]p4  absurdii;y ;  and  in  1647 
.  the  salary  of  the  lecture  was.  restored,  by  the  interppsitipa 
.  of  Selden^  who  had  considerable  int^res/t  wit;l;i  the  usurpers. 
,  Dr.  Qerard'Langbaine  also^  the  proyost  of  Queen's  college, 
.  drew  up  a  long  instrument  ia  Latin,,  stating  the  Wal 
course  tak^n  by  the, archbishop  iq  tbe  foundation  of  tpe 
r  Arabic  lecture,  and  the  grant,  the  uniFersity  had  made  to 
-^  JAi.  PoQQck  of  its  profits.    Thb  fae^  and  some  others  pro- 
9>osf$c)  in  congregation,  and  the  seal  of  the  university  was 
.  affile  ed  to  it  widi  unanimous,  ponsent.  .About  the  saibe 
/  '  lime,  Mr.  Pocock  obtained  a  pnotficfcion  jfroo^  the  hapd  and 

^  Ileal  of  general  Fairfaz,^  agsdnsjb  tb(S  outrage  pf  the  spldiery^^ 
who  would  else  bave:  plupderiqd  his  jbaus^  without  m^rcy^ 

In  1648,  on  the  recommendation  of  I>r.  Sheldon  and 
Dr.  Hammond,  be  was  nomiua^d  Hebrew  projfessor^.  w^th 
the  canonry  of  Christ  church,  annexed*  bj  the  king,  then  a 
prisoner  in  the  Isle  of  Wight,  and.  YfM  soon,  after  voted 
ii^to  the  same  lecture  by  t|)e  Committee  of  Parliament, 
but  a  different  canonry  being  assigned  him  than  that  which 
had  been  annexed  to  tbeprofessorsbip^be  entered  a  protest 
against  it,  that  it  might  not  become  a  precedent,  and  pre- 
judice bis  successors.  In  tbe  interirp  be  found  leisure  and. 
composure  to  publish  at  Oxford,  in  the  latter  end  of  1649, 
his  very  learned  work  entitled  f  Specimen  Histprise  Ara- 
bum.'*    This  contains  a  short  discourse  Jn  Arabic,  witb 


Ibis  Latin  translation,  and  large  atid  very  useful  ndtelr. 
Tbe  discourse  itself  is  taken  out  of  the  general  History  y>f 
-Gregory  Abplfaragius,  being  his  introduction  to  bis  hii^th 
dynjBsty  (for  into  ten  dynasties  that  author  divided  tes 
work),  where  beins  aj6out  to  treat  of  the  empire  of  the  Sa«»« 
racens  or  Arabians,  be  gives  a  compendious  account  of  that 

'people  before  Mahom'et ;  as  also  of  that  impostor  hiii^sel4 
and  the  new  religion  introduced  by  him,  and  of  the  sev^i- 
;pal  sects  into  which  it  was  divided.  And  Mr.  Fbcoc'Ifs 
Notes  on  this  Discour-ie  area  colliection  of  a  great  variety 
of  things  relating  to  those  matters  out  of  more  than/ an 
hundred  Arabic  manuscripts,  a  catalogue  of  which  be  adds 
in  the  end  of  bis  book. 

In  November  1650,' about  a  year  after  publifihirig  the 
preceding  work,  he  wns -ejected  ff'om  his  canonry  of  Christ 

.  church  for  refusing  to.  take  the  engagement,  and  so  bn  after 
a  vote  passed  for  depiHving  him  of  the  HebreW  an  i  Arabic 
lectures ;  but  npon  a  petition  from  the  heads'  of  houses  at 
Oxford,  the  ras^ters,  scholars,  &c.  two  only  of  the  whbie 
number  of  stibscriber&  being  loyalists,  this  vole  wa^  reversed, 
and  he  was  suffered  to  enjoy  both  places,  and  took  iodg- 
iogs,  when  at  Oxfbr  3l,  in  Baliol  college.  '  In  1  655  a  more 
ridiculous  instance  of  persecution  wa^  intendec'i,  and  would 
have  been  indicted,  if  there  had'no^c  yet  beeu  some  sehse 
and  spirit  left  even  among  those  \rha  had  (Contributed  to 
Ibriiig  on  such  calainities.  It  appeaSrs  tha.t  some  of  bis 
parishioners  had  pnj^ehted  an  inibrmation  against  him  to 
the  comcnissioiiers  a  ppointed  by  Tparlidinen'c  *^  for  ejecting 
ignorant,  scaiidalousi^  insufficient^  apd  negligent  ministers.^* 
But  the  connection  of  the  name'  of  PococJil  with  such  epi- 
thets was  loo  gross  ''to  he  endured,,  and,  vv/e  are  told,  filled 
several ,  men  of  gn^at  fame  a'nd^mihence  at  that  time  at 
Oxford  with  indig^Bation,  in  coir'sequeh'ce  of  which  they 

.  resolved  to  go  to  t  be  place  whe/e  the  c  i>mmissioners  were 
to  meet,  and  exposltulate  with  th'em'abo  iit  it.  In  the  num- 
ber of  those  who!  went,  were  Dr,  Se;th  Ward,  Dr.  J6hn 
Wilkins,  Dr.  Johnj.  Wallis,  an/l  Dr.  John  Owen,  who  all 
laboured  with  mur'li  eaniestnes^^s  to  ccmvince  those  men  of 
the  Strang  absuriflity  of  what  they  were  undertaking ;  par- 
ticularly Dr..  Oweln,  who  eti'deavouredS.  with  some  warmth 
to  make  them  scjsnsible  of  the  infinite  contempt  and  re- 
proach, which  wjould  certainly  fall  u^on  them,  when   it 

,  should  be  said,  t  jlMtt  they  Tnad  turned  out  a  man  for  insuffi^ 
eienty,  whom  nl  I  the  jermted,  not' of  England  only,  bui 


so  P  O  C  O  C  K- 

of  all/Earope^  so  justly  admired  for  his  vast  knowledge 
and  .extraorditiary.  accomplistinients.  And  being  biin^f 
iHie  of  the  commissioners  appointed  by  the  act,  be  addedy 
that  he  was  now  come  to  deliver  himself,  as  well  as  h^ 
c^uld^  from  a  share  in  such  disgrace,  by  protesting  against 
a  proceeding  so  strangely  foolbh  and  unjust.  The  com- 
missioners being  very  much  mortified  at  the  remonstrances 
lof  so  many  eminent  men,  especially  of  Dr.  Owen,  in  whom 
they  had  a  particular  confidence,  thought  it  best  to  extri- 
cate themselves  froin  their  dilemma,  by  discharging  Mr. 
IV>cock  from  ady  farther  attendancp.  And  indeed  he  bad 
been  sufficiently  tired  with  it;  pis  persecution,  which 
lasted  (or  many  months,  being  the  most  grievous  to  him  of 
,  all  be  hud  undergone.  It  made  hi|ii,  as.he  declared  to  the 
work!  some  time  after,  in  the  peeface  to  the  ^Annates 
EutjxhiaVise,**  utterly  incapable  ofi  study,  it  being  impos- 
sible for  bim,  when  he  attempte(|  it,  duly  to  remember 
what  \\e  had  to  do,  or  to  apply  bisiself  to  it  with  any  at- 
tention^*  • 

In   the  setne  year   (1655)   Mr^  Pocoqk  published   bis 
'^  Porta  mosisi,'*  being  six  prefatory  discourses  of  Moses 
Maimonides,  which  in  the  original  were  Arabic,  expressed 
in  Hebrew  characters,  together  with  his  own  Latin  transla- 
lion  of  thiim,  aivd  a  very  large  appiendix  of  miscellaneous 
notes.    This  was.  the  first  producticm  of  the  Hebrew  press 
at' Oxford  from  types  procured,  at  the  charge  of  the  uni- 
versity, and  by  tbe  influence  of  Dr.  Lahgbaine..    In  the 
year  following,  Mr.  Pocock  appencs  to  have  entertained 
some  thoughts  of  piiblishing  the  liabbi  Tanchum^s  expo- 
sitions on  the  Old  Testament.     H  e  was  at  this  time  the 
only  person  m  Europe  who  possess  ed  any  of  the  MSS.  of 
this  learned  rstbbi ;  bot  probably  fn  )m  want  of  due  encou- 
ragement, he  did  not  prosecute  tliis  design.    The  MSS. 
^are  now  in  the  Bodleiaiy.     In  1657    the  celebrated  English 
Polyglot  appeared,  in  which  Mr.  Pccock,  as  was  natural  to 
expect,  had  a  considerable  hand.     I^ndeed  the  moment  be 
heard  of  tbe  design  he  entered  into  a  correspondence  .with 
Dr.  Walton,  and,  although  his  own  e  ngagements  were  very 
urgent,  agreed  to  collate  the  Arabic  *.  pentateucb,  and  also 
drew  up  a  preface  concernit^g  the  A  rabic  versions  of  that 
pajt  of  tbe  Bible,  and  the  reason  oi  F  the  various  readings 
in  them.     This   preface,    with  the    various  readings,  are 
published  in  the  appendix  to  the  P<  )Iygl6t>     tie  was  per- 
.haps  yet  more  serviceable  by  coutribi  iting  the  use  of  some 


P  O  C  O  0  K.  91 

9e«y  vfthiftUe  MS8.  from  his  own  colleptton,  *vis«  the  go^* 
peb  in  Persian,  his  S^yriac  MSt  of  the  whole  Old  Test^- 
menty  and  two  other  Syriap  MSS.  Of  the  Psalms,  and  an 

.  Etbiopic  MS.  of  the  same* 

:  In  1658,  Mr,  Poeock*s  translation  of  the  annab  of  Eu- 
tjrcbioa,  from  Arabic  into  Latin,  was  published  at  Oxford, 

'  in  2  vob.  4tOi  This  was  undertaken  by  Mr.  Pocock  at  the 
request  of  Seldeti^  who  bore  t|jia  whole  expeoces  of  the 
printing,  41  though^ he  died  before  it  appeared,     He  hf d 

;  Ibi^  before  this,  in  1642,  published  an  extracjt  which  he 

*.  thought  inimical  to  episcopacy,  but  which  waa  afiterwar4s 
proved  to  be  a  mere  fable;  and  now  Mr.  Pocock,  in  his 

.  cranslatton  of  the  whole,  farther  proves  how  little  reliance 
was  to  he  plaeed  on  many  of  Eutychius's  assertions. .  Sel- 

.  4en^  in  a  eddicil  to  bis  will,  bequeathed  the  property  of 

i  the  ^  Aimales  Eutycbii''  to  Dr.  Langbaine  and  Mr.  Po^ 

;  cock;  '•.'.. 

Ihe  restoration  ha{?ing  been  at  last  accomplislied,  Mr. 
Po<;oGk  was,  in  June  1660,  replaced  in  his  caqonry  of 
Christ  church,  as  originally  annexed. to  the  Hebrew  pro- 
fessorship by  Cbarles  I.  and  on  Sept.  20  took  his  degree 

.  of 'OL D.  :  In  tbe  sameyear  he  was  enabled  by  the  Ube- 

'  imlity  of  Ml*.  Boyle,  to  print  his  Arabic  translation  of  Gro- 
tins  on  the  Truth  of  the  Christian  religion,  which,  we  have 

'  abeady  meoiioiied,  he  undertook  with  the  full  approbation^ 
of  the  author.     His   next  publication,  in    1661,,  was  an 

.  Arabic  poem  entitled  *^  LamiatoM  Ajara,  ot  Carmen  Abu 
IsDiaelis  Tograi,'^  with  his  Latin  translation  of  it,  and  large 
lk>tes  upon  it,  with  a  preface  by  the  lesurned  Samuel 
Ctarke,  architypographus  to  the  university,  who  bad  the 

.   cat^  of  tbe  press,  and  contributed  a  treatise  of  his  own  on 

;  the  Arabic  prosody.  This  poem. is  held  to  be  of  the 
greatest  elegance,  answerable  to  the  fame  of  its  author, 

-^  who,  as  Dr.  Pocock  gives  his  character,  was  eminent  for 

>  learning  apd  virtue,,  and  esteemed. tbie  Phcenix  of  the  age 
in  which  he  lived,  for  poetry  and  eloquence.     The  doctor's 

'  design  in  |his  work  was,  not  only  to  give  a  specimen  of  Ara- 
bian poetry,  but  also  to  make  the  attainment  of  the  Arabic 

:  tongue  mona  ea^y  to  those  who  study  it;  and  his  notes, 
containing  a  grammatical  explanation  of  all  the  words  of 

•  tbo  Mthor,  were  unquestionably  serviceable  for  promoting 
die  knowledge  of  that  language.  These  notes  being  the 
sum  of  many, lectures,  which  he  rea^d  on  this  poem,  the 

'.   apee^h|  wUeh  h^  delivered^  when  enter'mg  on  his  office^ 


'9«  P  O  C  O  C  K> 

is  ptefixed  to  it,  and  contains  a  soccinct|  but  T^y  aecinvtc 
account  of  the  Arabic  tongiie.  ,1 

'  in  i663y  Dr.  Poicockpublisjied  at  Osferd)  as  wenotic84 
in  our  account  of  that  author,  the  whcde  of  Gregory  Abol* 
fiaragitts's  ^'  Historia  DynkstiaruBi  ;^'  but  thia  work  jivaa  not 

'  macii  encouraged  by  the  public,  which  his  biographer,  ae- 
coonts  for  in  a  manner  not  very  creditable  to  the  reign  of 

'  Charles  II.  compared  to  the  state  of  solid  learning  diiring 

'  tixat  df  the  protectorate.    The  love  cf  Arabic  learning,  |^e 

'  informs  ns,  was '  now  growing  cold,  and  Pocock,  in  his 
correspondence  with  Mr. 'Thomas  Oreaves,  seems  vety 
sensible  of,  and  mtich  hurt  by  this  declension  of  literary 
taste.    This  also,  his  biographer  thinks  may  in  some  •inea* 

;  sure  account  for  our  author's  rising  no  higher  in  dmrcfa-pre- 
ferment  at  the  restoration,  when  such  nurabers^  of  vacant 
dignities  were  ftUed.  Perhaps^  adds^  Mr.  T wells,  "^  he  is 
almost  the  only  instance  of  a  clergyman,  then  at  the  highest 

'  pitch  of  eminence  for  learning,  and  every  other  merit  pro- 
per to  bis  profession,  who  lived  throughout  the  reign  of 
Charles  II;  without  the  least  regiird  from  the  coart,  ex- 
cept the  favour  sometimes  done  him  of  being  ciJled  upon 
to  translate  Aralric  leUers  from  the  princes  of  the  Levant, 
or  the  credential  letters  of  ambassadors  coming  £rom  those 
p^rts ;  for  which  yet  we  do  not  find  he  had  any  recoln- 

'  pence  besides  good  words  and  compliments.  Bat  he 
was  modest,  as  be  was  deserving,  and  probably^  after  his 
presenting  AbnlfaragiuB  to  the  king,  he  never  put  himself 
in  the  way  of  royal  regards  any  more.*"^ 

This  discouragement,  however,  did  not  abate,  his  aea(  in 
the  cause  of 'biblical  learning,  to  which  he  appears -to  have 
devoted  the  remainder  of  his  life,  publishing  in  I- 677  bis 

"  Commentary  on  the  prophecy  of  Micah  and  Malachi,  ia 
less  on  that  of  Hosea,  and  in  1691  that  of  Joel.  In  1^74 
be  bad  published,  at  the  expense  of  the  university,  his  Ara- 
bic translation  of  church  catechism  and  the  English  li- 
turgy, i.  e.  the  morning  and  evening  prayers^  the  order  of 
administering  baptism  andthe  Lord^s  supper^  and  the- 39 
articles.  It  was  supposed  that  he  meant  to  bare  com- 
mented upon  some  other  of  the  lesser  prophets^  >b|]t  this 
was  prevented  by  his^tleath  on  Sept.  10^  169 1,  after  a  gra- 
dual decay  of  some  months,  which,  however,  had  not 'af- 
fected the  vigour  of*  his  mind.  His  useful  life  had  been 
prolonged  to  his  eigbty-sevenl^  year,  during  the  greater 
part  of  which  he  was^  confessedly,  the  first  OrieoUl  scholar 


P  O  C  O  C  K.  «- 

Hi  Eorope,  and  not  less  admired  £ot  the  excellence  df  hie 
private  character^  of  which  Mr.  Twells  has  given  aa  ela«- 
borate  account,  and  which  k  confiroied  by  the  report  of* 
aH  his  centemporaries,'  bat  particularly  by  a  long  letter 
from  the  celebrated  Locke,  dated  Jaly  1703,  to  Mr.  Saiiiki 
of  Dartmoutli,  who  was  then  collecting  materials,  for  a  life 
of  Dr.  Pocock. 

In  person  be  was  of  a  middle  stature,  his  hair  and  eyea 
black,  bis  complexion  fair,  and  his  look  lively  and  cheer<* 
fol.  In  conversation  he  was  free*  open,  and  ingenuous; 
easily  accessible  and  communicative  to  all  who  applied  t» 
kirn  for  advice  in  hfs  peculiar  province.  His  temper  waa 
unassuming,  -bumble,  and  sincere,  and  bis  intelleotuai 
lowers  uniformly  employed  on  the  most  .useful  subjects. 
His  memory  was  great,  and  afforded  him  suitable  advaa^ 
tages  in  the  study  of  the  learned  languages.  He  wrote  bia 
own  language  With  clearness  aad  perspicuity,  which  form 
his  principal  recommendation  as  an  English  writer^  hurt  in 
his  Liitin  a  considerable  degree  of  elegance  may  be  per« 
ceived.  His  whole  conduct  as  a  divine,  as  a  man  of  piety^ 
and  a  minister  of  the  church  of  England,  was  highly  ex-* 
empiary. 

He  was  interred  in  one  of  the  north  ailes  joining  to  Ae 
choir  6f  the  cathedral  of  Christ  church,  Oxford ;  and  a 
monument  is  erected  to  him  on  the  north  wall  of  the  north 
isle  of  that  chorcli,  with  the  following  inscription.  *^  Ed^- 
wardus  Pocock,  S.  T.  D.  (cujus  si  nomen  audias,  nil  hie  de  * 
fttrnd,  desideres)  natus  est  Oxonias  Nov.  >6,  ann.  Dom.  1 604^ 
socliis  in  Collegium  Corp.  Christi  cooptatus  1628,  ini  Lin- 
l^ute  Arabicae  Lecturam  publice  habeudam  primus  est  in« 
stitutus  1636,  deinde  etiam  in  Hebraicam  Frofessori  Regie 
successit  1648.  Desideratissimo  Marito  Sept.  IQ,  1694^ 
in  coelum  reverso,  Maeia  Burdet,  ex  qu&  novenam  suscepii 
sobolem,  tumulum  hunc  moerens  posuit^'^  His  Theologi^ 
cal  works  were  republished  at  London  in  1740,  in  2  vols. 
foL  by  Mr.  Leonard  Twells,  M.  A.  to  which  is  prefixed  a 
Life  of  the  Author.  Of  this  we  have  availed  ourselires  in 
the  present  sketch,  but  not  without  omitting  many  very 
curious  particulars  relating  both  to  Dr.  Pocock  and  to  the 
history  of  his  times,,  which  render  Mr.  Twells's  work  one  of 
the  most  interesting  biographical  documents.  Dr.  Pocook^a 
life  was  first  attempted  by. the  abt.  Humphrey  Smith,  a 
Devonshire  clergyman,  who  was  assisted  by  tbe  doctor*» 
eldest  son,  the  rev.  Edward  Pocock,  rector  ef  Minail  in 


M  p  o  c  a  c  K. 

WHtshirei  and  prebendary  of  SaromJ  Wbat  tbey  coklil 
collect  was,  after  a  long  interval^  commkt^  to  the  care  of 
the  rev.  Leonard  TwelUi  M.  A.  rector  of:  the  united  pa-» 
rishes  of  St  Matthe^w's  Friday-street,  and  St  Peter  Cfaeapy. 
and  prebendary  of  St.  I^turs,  with  the  consent  of  the  rev. 
John  Pocb^k,  the  doctor*s  grandson.  The  coiUteiits  of  these 
two  volumes  are  the  ^*  Porta  Mosis/*  and  his  .English  com— 
Hsentaries  on  Hosea,  Joel^  Micab,  and  Malachi. ,  Thet  Ara- 
bic types  were  supplied  by  the  society  for  the  .prompting' 
Christian  knowiedge,  ioi  consequence  of  an  application, 
made  to  them  by  tbe  rev.  Arthur  Bedford,  chaplain  to  th& 
Haberdashers*  hospital,  Hpxton.  But  what  renders  tbia 
edition  peculiarly  vsduabie  is,  that  it,  was  corrected  for  tbe 
press  by  tbe  rev.  Mr.  (afterwards  Dr.)  Tbomas  HuDt,  jooe  of 
Dr.  Pocock^s  learned  successors  in  the  Arabic  ebair..  ., 

Dr.  Pocock  bad  married  in  1646,  while  be  was  resident 
upon  his  living  in  Berkshire;  ami  bad  nine  children.  We 
bave  only  an  account  of  bia  eldest  son  Edward  Pocock^ 
who,  under  his  father's  direction,  published,  in  1 67 J,  4to, 
with  a  Latin  translation,  an  Arabic  work»  entitled  .^<  Phi«^ 
losophus  Autodidactus ;  sive,  Epistola  Abu  Jaafar  Ebo 
Tophail  de  Hai  Ebn  Yokdhan.  In  qua  ostenditur,  quo-* 
mode  ex  inferiorum  contemplaUone  ad  superiorum  notiltam 
ratio  humana  ascendere  possit''  In  1711,  Simon  Oeklejp 
published  an  English  translation  of  thi3  book,  under  tbe 
title  of  ^*  The  Improvement  of  Hunaan  Reason,  exhibited 
in  tbe  Life  of  Hai  Ebn  Yokdhan/'  &c.  8vo ;  and  dedicated 
it  to  Mr.  Pocock,  then  rector  of  Miiial  in  Wiltshire.  Mn 
Pocock  had  also  prepared  an  Arabic  history,  with  a  Latin 
version,  aud  put  to  it  the  press  at  Oxford  ;  but  not  being 
worked  off  when  his  father  died,  he  withdrew  it,  upon  a 
disgust  at  not  succeeding  his  father  in  the  Hebrew  profea* 
aorship.  The  copy,  as  much  of  it  as  was  printed,  and  the 
manuscript  history,  were,  in  1740,  in  the  hands  of  Mr» 
Pocock's  son,  then  rector  of  Minal.  * 

POCOCKE  (Richard),  D.D.  who  was  distantly  re- 
lated to  the  preceding,  but  added  the  .e  to  his  name,  was 
the  son  of  Mr.  Ricliard  Pococke,  sequestrator  of  the  churck 
of  All-satuts  In  Southampton,  and  bead  master  of  tbe  free- 
school  there,  by  tbe  only  daughter  of  the  rev.  Mr.  Isaac 
Milles,  minister  of  Highcleer  in  Hampsbire,  and  was  born 
at  Southampton  in  1704.     He  received  bis  school-learning 

1  life  by  Twells. 


P  O  C  O  C  K  E. 


9S 


there,  and  his  academical  educatibn  at  Corpus*Chrtsti  col-  ' 
HZ^j  Oxford,  where  he  took  his  degree  of  LL.  B.  May  5, 
1731 ;  and  that  of  LL.  t).   (being  thfen  precentor  of  Lis-  * 
more)  June  28,  1733  ;  together  ii^ith.Dr.  Seeker,  then  rec- 
tor of  St.  James's,  and  afterwards  archbishop  of  Canter- 
bary.     He  began  his  travels  into  the  East  ih  1737,  and 
returned  in  1742,  and  was  made  precentor  of  Waterford 
in  1744,     In   1743',  he  published  the  first  part  of  those ' 
travels,  under  the  title  of  *<  A  Description  of  the  East, ' 
and  of  some  other  Countries,   vol.  L    Obsertrations  on 
Egypt.**     In  1744  he  was  made  precentor  of  Waterford, 
and  in  1745  he  printed  the  second  volume  under  the  same 
title,  ^*  Observations  on  Palestine,    or  the   Hoiy  Land; 
Syria,  Mesopotamia,  Cyprus,  and  Candia,**  which  h^  de- 
dicated to  the  earl  of  Chesterfield,  then  made  lohl-lieute- 
nant  of  Ireland ;  attended  his  lordship  thither  as  one  of  his 
domestic  chaplains,  and  was  soon  after  appointed  by  hi?  ' 
lordship  .archdeacon  of  Dublin.     In  March  1756,  he   was' 
promoted  hy  the  duke  of  Devonshire  (then  lord-lieutenant)' 
to  the  bishopric  of  Ossory,  vacint  by  the  death  of  Dr.* 
Edward  Maurice.     He  was  translated  by  the  king*s  letter 
from   Ossory  to  Elphin,    in  June   1765,  bishop  Gme  of 
Elphiu  biding  then  promoted  to  Meath ;  but  bishop  Gore 
finding  a  great  sum  was  to  be  paid  to  his  predecessor*8 
execu'tors  for  the  house  at  Ardbraceaii,  declined  taking  ont^ 
hb  patent;   and   therefore  bishop  Pocpcke,  in  July,  w»« 
translated  by  the  duke  of  Northumberltmd  directly  to  the 
see  of  Meath,  and  died  in  the  month  of  September  the 
same  year,  suddenly,  of  an  apoplectic  stroke,  while  he  wax  . 
in  the  course  of  his  visitation.     An  eulogium  of  his  Descrip- 
tion of  Egypt  is  given  in  a  work  eatitled  "  Pauli  Ernesti 
Jablonski   Pantheon   ^gyptiorum,  Praefat.   ad    part.  Hi.^^ 
He  penetrated  no  further  up  the  Nile  than  to  Phila,  now 
Gieuret  Ell  Hiereff;  whereas  Mr.  Norden,  in'  1737,  went 
as  far  as  Derri,  between  the  two  cataracts.     The  two  tra- 
vellers are  supposed  to  have  met  on  the  Nile,  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  Esnay,  in  Jan.  1738.     But  the  foct,  as  Dr. 
Pococke  told  some  of  his  friends,  was,  that  being  on  bis 
returt^,  ,not  knowing  that  Mr.  Norden   was  gone  up,  he 
passed  by  him  in  the  nighty  without  havirfg  the  pleasure  of 
seeing  him.     There  was  an  admirable  vvh'ote  length  of  the 
b&hop,  in  a  Turkish  idress,  painted   by    Liotard,  in   the 
possession  of  the  lat6f  Dn  Milles,  dean  6f^Exeteiv  Ws -first 
cousin.     He  was  a  great  traveller,  and  visited  other  places 


9B  1>  O  C  O  C  K  «* 

besides  tbe  East  His  descriptioD  of  a  rock  on  the  west-* 
side  of  Dunbar  harbour  in  Scotland,  resembling  tbe  Giapts 
Causeway,  is  in  the  Pbilos.  Trans,  vol.  LI  I.  art  17;  and  ia 
ArchsBologia^vol.  II.  p.  32,  his  account  of  some  antiquities 
found  in  Ireland.  Whefi  travelling  through  Scotland 
(where  be  preached  several  times  to  crowded  congrega- 
tioJis),'be  stopped  at  Dingwal,  and  said  he  was  much 
struck  and  pleased  with  its  appearance ;  for  the  situation 
of  it  brought  Jerusalem  to  his  remembrance,  and  h^ 
pointed  out  the  bill  which  resembled  Calvary.  The  same 
similitude  was  observed  by  him  in  regard  to  Dartmouth  ; 
but  a  4to  volume  of  his  letters^,  containing  his  travels  in 
England  and  Scotland,  was  tost.  He  pfeached  a  sermon 
in  1761  for  the  benefit  of  the  Magdalen  charity  in  Lon- 
don, and  on&tn  1762  before  tbe  incorporated  Society  in 
Dublin. 

Among  the  MS  treasures  in  the  British  Museum,  ar^ 
Sfsveral  volumes  (4811 — 4827)  the  gift  of  bishop  Pococke  ; 
Tiz;  *^  Minutes  and  Registers  of  the  Philosophical  Society 
of  DubJin,  from  1683  to  16S7,  with  a  copy  of  the  papers 
read  before  them  ;^'  and  ^'  Registers  of  the  Philosophical 
Society  of  Dublin,  from  Aug.  14,  1707,  with  copies  of 
some  of  these  papers  read  before  them  ;^'  also  ^^  Several 
Extracts  taken  out  of  the  Records  in  Birmingham's  Tower  ;^* 
^^An  Account  of  the  Franciscan  Abbeys^  Houses,  and 
Friaries,  in  Ireland,"  &c.  &c. 

Mr.  Cumberland,  whose  paintings  are  to  be  viewed  with 
some  caution,  gives  the  following  as  characteristic  sketches 
of  bishop  Pococke :  **  That  celebrated  oriental  traveller 
and  author  was  a  man  of  mild  manners  and  primitive  sim- 
plicity ;  having  given  the  world  a  full  detail  of  his  resear- 
ches in  Egypt,  he  seemed  to  hold  himself  excused  from 
saying  any  thing  more  about  them,  and  observed  in  ge- 
neral an  obdurate  taciturnity.  In  his  carriage  and  deport- 
ment he  appeared  to  have  contracted  something  of  tbe^ 
Arab  character,  yet  there  was  no  austerity  in  his  silence,' 
and  though  his  air  was  solemn,  his  temper  was  serene. 
When  we  were  on  our  road  to  Ireland,  I  saw  from  the 
windows  of  the  inn  at  Daventry  a  cavalcade  of  horsemen 
approaching  on  a  gentle  trot,  headed  by  an  elderly  chief 
in  clerical  attire,  who  was  followed  by  iSve  servants  at  dis- 
tances geometrically  measured  and  most  precisely  inain-> 
taioed^  and  who,  upon  entering  the  inn,  proved  to  be^tbi^ 


k 


P  O  G  G  1  O.  *T 

difdagoishecl  prelate,  conducting  bis:liord|p¥ith  thepUeg** 
ffladc  patience  of  a  Scheik/* '  .     - 

POGGIO  (Bracciolini),  one  of  the  revivers  of  JUe** 
lature,  was  the  spa  of  Guccio  Bracciolini,  and  was  born  in 
h380y  at  Terranuora,  a  small  town  situated  in  the  territory 
of  the  republic  of  Florenee,  not  far  from  Are2zo.  He 
inherited  from  bis  father  who  had  been  a  notary,  but  had 
lost  his  property,  no  advantages  of  vank  orfortune,  yet 
ip  a  literary  point  of  view,  some  circumstances  of  his  birth 
were  singularly  propitious*  At  the  dose  of  the  fourteenth 
century,  the  dawn  of  literature  was  appearing^  and  the 
city  of  Florence  was  distinguished  by  the  zeal  with  which 
its  principal  inhabitants  cultivated  and  patronized  the  libe- 
ral arts.  It  was  consequently  the  favourite  resort  of  the 
ablest  scholars  of  the  time ;  some  of  whom  were  induced 
by  the  offer  of  considerable  salaries,  to  undertake  the  task 
o{  public  instruction.  In  this  celebrated,  school,  Poggio 
applied  himself  to  the  study  of  the  Latin  tongue,  under 
the  direction  of  John  of  Ravenna;  and  of  Greek,  under 
Manuel  Chrysoloras.  When  he  had  acquired  a  competent 
knowledge  of  these  languages, 4i^  quitted  Florence^  and  went 
to  Rome,  ^here  his  literary  reputation  introduced  him  to 
the  notice  of  pope  Boniface  IX.  who  took  him  into  hjs  ser«- 
vic.e^  and  promoted  him  to  the  office  of  writer  dP  the  apos^ 
tolic  letters,  probably  about  1402.  At  this  time  Italy  was 
convulsed  by  war  and  faction,  and  in  that  celebrated  ec- 
clesiastical feud^  which  is  commonly  distinguished  by  the 
name  of  the  ^*  schism  of  the  West,"  no  fewer  than  six  of 
Poggio's  patrons,  the  popes,  were  implicated  in  its  pro- 
gress and  consequences.  In  1414  we  find  Poggio  attending 
the  infamous  pope  John  to  Constance,  in  quality  of  secre- 
tary; but  as  this  pontiff  fled  from  the  council,  his  house- - 
bold  was  dbpersed,  aqd  Poggio  reoMiined  some  time  at 
Constance.  Having  a  good  deal  of  leisure,  he  employed 
bis  vacant  hours  in  studying  the  Hebrew  language,  under 
the  direction  of  a  Jew  who  bad  been  converted  to  the 
Christian  fiitb.  The  first  act  of  the  council  of  Constance 
was  the  trial  of  pope  John,  who  was  convicted  of  the  most 
atrocious  vices  incident  to  the  vilest  corrnption  of  human 
nature^  for^which  they  degraded  him  from  his  dignity,  and^ 
deprived  him- of  his  liberty.  It  was  also  by. this  council 
that  Jobti  Huss^  the  celebrated  Bohemian  reformer,  was 

I  NichiAi'i  Bowjrer.— Cainb«rUn4'*  Life*.  ^ 

Vol.  XXV.  H    . 


!rs  P  Q  G  G  I  O. 

examined  and  CAodemDed,  and  that  Jerome  of  Pragne,  in 
1416,  was  tried.     Poggio^  who.  was  present  at  Jerome's 
trial,  gave  that  very  eloquent ,  apcoant .  of  the  raartyr^s  be^ 
]B»viour  which  we  have  already  noticed  (^ee  Jerome  of 
P&AGtJe),  and  which  proves,  in  the  opinion  of  Poggio's  bio^^ 
grapber,  that.he  possessed  a  heart  ^*  which  daily  intercoorse 
with  bigoted  believers  and  licentious  hypocrites  could  not 
deaden  to  the  impulses  of  humanity/' 
.  The  vacancy  in  the  pontifical   throne    still    affording 
Poggio  a  considerable  degree  of  leisure,    he  undertook, 
about  this  .time  an  expedition  of  no  small  importance  to. 
the  interests  of  literature,  in  quest  of  such  ancient  manu- 
scripts of  classic  authors  as  were  scattered  in, various  mo*, 
nasteries  and  other  repositories  in  the  neighbourhood  of. 
Constance,  where  they  were  in  danger  of  perishing  through 
neglect ;  and  in  this  he  was  successful  beyond  any  indivi-* . 
dual  of^  his  time.     Among  other  precious  relics  thus  reco-. 
vered,  was  a  complete  xopy  of  Quintiliao  ;  part  of  the  At". 
gonautics  of  Valerius  Flaccus;  Asconius  Pedianus's  Com*: 
ment  on  eight  of  Cicero's  orations ;  several  of  the  orations 
of  Cicero ;  Silius  Italicus;  Lactantius  ^^  de  ira  Dei ;"  Ve-*. 
getius '^  de  re  militari;"  Nonnius  Marcellus ;  Ammianus' 
Marcellinus;   Lucretius;  Columella;  Tertgllian ;   twelve 
of  the  comedies  of  Plautus ;  and  various  other  works,  or 
parts  of  the  works  of  the  ancient  classics,  which  are  enu-. 
merated  by  his  biographer. 

After  the  ecclesiastical  feud  had  been  iu  some  measure 
composed,  Martin  Vu  became  the  new  pontiff,  but  Poggio- 
did  not  :at  first  bold  any  office  under  him,  as  he  visited 
England  in  consequence  of  an  invitation  which  be  had  re«* 
ceived  from  Beaufort,  bishop  of  Winchester     He  is  said 
to  have  observed  with  chagrin  the  uncultivated  state  of  the. 
public  mind  in  Britain, .  when  compared  with  the  enthu- 
siastic  love   of  elegant  literature,   which    polished  and 
adorned  his  native  country.     Ehiring  bis  restdeace  here  be 
received  an  invitation  to  take  the  office  of  secretary  :ta 
Martin  V.  which  was  the  more  readily  accepted  by  him,  as 
he  is  said  to  have  been  disappointed  in  the  expectations  ho; 
had  formed  from  the  bishop  of  Winchester..  The  time  of^ 
his  arrival  at  Rome  is  not  exactly  ascertained ;.  but  it  ap- 
pears that  bis  first  care  after  bis  re«»establisbment  in.  the 
sacred  chancery,  was  to  renew  with  his  friends  .the. per- 
sonal and  epistolary  communication  which  his  long  absence 
from  Italy  had  interrupted.     He  now  also  resumed  his  pri- 
Tate  studies,  and  in  1(^29  published  his  *^  Dialogue  on  Ava* 


t  0  G  G  I  0.  9b 

ftels/*  in  wbicb  he  satirized,  with  greiit  severity,  the  friMv 
U'ho  were  a  bratieh  of  the  order  of  the  Franciscans,  and 
who,  on  account  of  the  extraordinary  strictness  with  which 
tiiey  professed  to  exercise  their  conventual  discipline,  were 
distinguished  by  the  title  of  Fratres  Observantia.  f  He  in* 
veighs  also  against  the  monastic  life  with  great  freedom, 
but  with  a  levity  which  renders  it  very  questionable  whe- 
ther any  kind  of  religious  life  was  much  to  his  taste.  Wheti 
Eugenius  IV.  was  raised  to  the  pontificate,  his  authority 
commenced  with  unhappy  omens^  being  engaged  in  quar- 
rels both  in  Italy  and  Germany ;  and  Poggio,  foreseeing 
the  disastrous  event,  wrote  freely  upon  the  subject  to  the 
cardinal  Julian,  the  pope's  legate^  that  he  might  gain  him 
over  to  his  master's  interest.     In  this  letter  were  some 
smart  strokes  of  satiric  wit,  which  the  disappointed  and 
irritated  mind  of  Julian  could  not  well  beaVi     Poggio^s 
morals  were  not  free  from  blame ;  and  the  cardinal,  in  his 
answer  reminds  him  of  having  children,  which,  he  observes^ 
'*  is  inconsistent  with  the  obligations  of  an  ecclesiastic ; 
and  by  a  mistress^  which  is  discreditable  to  the  character 
of  a  layman/'    To  these  reproaches  Poggio  replied  in  a 
letter  replete  with  the  keenest  sarcasm.     He  pleaded  guilty 
to  the  charge  which  had  been  exhibited  against  bim,  and 
candidly  confessed  that  he  bad  deviated  from  the  paths  of 
virtue,  but  excused  himself  by  the  common-place  -  argtH 
ment  that  many  ecclesiastics  had  dofie  the  same.     In  1433, 
when  the  pope  was  obliged  to  fly  from  Rome,  Poggio  was 
taken  prisoner,  and  obliged  to  ransom  himself  by  a  large 
sum  of  money.     He  then  repaired  to  Florence,  where  be 
attached  himself  to  the  celebrated  Cosmo  de  Medici,  and 
in  consequence  became  involved  in  a  quarrel  with  Francis 
Philelphos  (See  Philei.phu9),  which  was  conducted  with 
tntttual  rancour.     Poggio  now  purchased  a  villa  at  VaJ» 
d'amo,  which  be  decorated  with  ancient  sculpture  and  mo* 
mtments  of  art ;  and  such  was  the  esteem  in  which  he  was 
Md  by  the  republic  of  Florence,  that  he  and  his  children 
were  exempted  from  the  payment  of  taxes.  These  children,  - 
alt  illegitimate,  amounted  to  fourteen  ;  but  in  1435,  when 
be  had  attained  his  fifty-fifth  year,  he  dismissed  them  and 
th^r  mother  without  provision,    and  married  a  girl  of 
eighteen  yeam  old.    On  this  occasion  he  wrote  a  formal 
treatise  on  the  propriety  of  an  old  man  marrying  a  young 
girl  t  the  treatise  is  lost,  and  would  be  of  little  consequence 
if  recovered,  since  the  question  was  not  whether  an  0I4 

H  2 


too       -  R  O  G  G  I  0. 

man  should  marry  a  young;  girl^  Initi  wbeU^r  aq  old.  jaan 
should . discard  bis  allegitiiBate.  off$|praig.  to  indulge. ;lKis 
sensuality  under  the  foKm.of  msarriagc.  Ani  bowever,^  men 
in  years  who  marry  so  disproportionately  are  generaUy  very 
ardeni  lovers,  be  celebrates  his  young  bride  for  her  great 
,beauty,  modesty,  sense,  &c« 

Whatever  might  be  the.case  with. bis  moral,  Poggio^s 
'  literary  reputation  began  about,  this  time  to  be  extensively 
diffused^  jiud  biavi^itiogs  became  an  object  oCfjrequeift  in* 
. quiry- among  the  learaedy  sooie  of  whom. /solicited  him  to 
•  publish  «  collection  >of  bis  epistles,  from  a  perusal  of  which 
they  had  often  devived  gratificaiion«  .This  request  could 
fiiot  but  be  higbIyia|;reeableto  bis  feeliogs^^  ^ad  be  readily 
Uk^  the  requisitie  steps  ip  comply  with  it.  This  w^s.  fol- 
lowed by  a  funeral  oration  in. honour  of  his  friend  Niccolo 
Niccoli.  In  1440  he  published : his  *^  Dialogue. on.  No- 
bility,'' aworkwbieb,^bis  biographer  says»  greatly  .increased 
bis  reputation,  by  tbe^luminousness  pf  its  jmetbod^  the  ele- 
gance of  its  dictioB,  and  the  learned  references  with  which 
it  was.  interspersed. .  This  was:  fi^owed  by  bisrdialqgue 
.  ^^  On  the  uahappiness  >of  PoAces,''  in  .which  he  .dwells  with 
so  much  energy  on . the. vices efr  exahed  rank,,  aik  to  afford 
room  foK  saspicton,  that.reseolment  .and  indignation  b^d  .at 
.least  as  mihcb  influence  in  i%s  .composition  ^as  the  suggest 
tions  of  philosophy* '  However:  the  effiisiotvai'OfimerQsepess 
that'occur  i«  this  idialogue.are  interspei$ed  wiih:precepts 
.of  sound  morality,,  and  the. historic  details  with  which  it 
abounds  are  both  entertaining  itnd  instruciiv^e. 

Although  Poggio.'held'the  office  of,  apostolic,  secretary 
under  s^ven  poiuiffs,  he'  bad  uei^er  reached  any  pf  the  sur 
perior  depaitmenta  of  the  .Roman;  chaj^iceryy.  But  wheti 
Nicholas  V.  as^adled  the.'  p^^fical  tbrope^  his'  prospects 
were  brigbtenedi;. and  he  indulged  the  hope4  o/^:  :spenfling 
the  remainder  of  his  .daya  in^  a.  stale  of ;  independepce^ .  if 
4)otof  afflueflce.  .  With  a  view  <of  imfuroying  his  intereat 
with  the  new  pontiff^  he  addressed  U>  himax^ongratuUDory 
.oration,  which  was  .i)ecQmpeose4  hy  very  liberal  preseuts. 
This  was  succeeded:  by  asdedicatory  epistjie,  introducinf^ 
io  bis  patronage  a  dialogue  f*  On  the  Vicissitudes  of. For- 
tune," the  mostjnt^restipgiOf.Poggiota  works,. ^d  iocui- 
cating  maxims  of  sublime  philosophy,  enfbroed  by  a  detail 
of  splendid. and. striking  events* .  Colifidiog  io;  the  pontifi^ 
he  also  r  published  the  dialogue  ^^  On  Hypocrisy,"  aUeady 
mentioned.    At  the  request^  and  under  the  patronage  of 


P'  O  G  G  I  01  1^1 

Nidobs^  be  abo  contributed  ta  the  illiistratfob  id  Grecian* 
Iteenture^i  bjr  n  Lutin  tranalaition  of  tbeWorks  of  iDiodoms' 
Skplii^rahii  di6  if^':Oj^pop®dm*Mol  Xenophon.     Doring' 
tbe  pligfiey  '^i<3b  raged  ilk  varioas  parCrof  italyi  in  14i50y ' 
Boggio  viiited  thepiaee«af;hifr  nativity ;  and'flvailing  him-* 
self  of  itfaris'i  ntiervai  of  relaxation  from -die.  duties  of- his 
offiee^-iier  Umbiirficd  his  f*:  Liber  Facetiaruin^'?  or  collection 
of  jmote  tadesyi  cODtaiaing  anecdotes  of  several*  eminent^ 
pevsoas^whO'(krumbed.during>the^foiirteenth  and'  fifteenth' 
csntwries/'   fpbis  nvorfc  acquired  « .considerable  degree  'Of- 
popttlamyy'jaiNb<was.i9ead,  oot  only  in  tibe  nativie  country 
of  its  >auUsi}r^ ( but  iuls^  in-  Fntncei,  Spain,  Germany^  and 
Briisaii^,'  very  Ihtle*  indeed  to- the  cv^dit  of  the  readers,  as  it 
abounds  wiih' gross  and  kbominsble  indecencies.     In  1451 
he  dedicatisd  to  the  cardinal  'Prospero  Cotonna,.  his  «<<>  His*' 
toria  disceptativa  convitxialis/'  -  In;  I453»  Pbggio  was  ete* 
vated  lo  tbexbaricelionibip^of  Florence  ^  and  iat  the  same 
time  be  was  ebesen  one  of  the  ^  Priori 'degliarti/*  orpre- 
sideritsiof  tbe  trading  i'Cbnipanies;  both- which  offices  be 
held  t&H  his  death,    wfarch  faafipenefl.Oelober  SO,  1499.t 
Noti?dthffkanding  ^tfae  0itflti{^il^  elf  bis;^  hnsiness,  and  the 
advanites'  of  ige^'  he  pnisecuied  bis  studies,  with  his  aocu8-^> 
tooied'arrddur^'  lind  published  a  dialdgue  ^  De  ndtserift  hti* 
manor  conditioiits;^'^  stnd  a  versioh'of'Lncian?s'^^' Ass/'  with 
a  view  -of  establisfaing^'a  point  of  literary  brstory^  which 
seems  td  kive  been  tSl  tbat  time  unknown  ;<>  namely,  that 
Apnieius  was  indebted  to  Liioia|¥  for  the  ^taiMne  of  his: 
^(  Assnusaureus.'?    liie  last  literary  work  in  which  ha  en-* 
gaged,  was  bis  '^.Hastorf  of '  Fioveiit^e/' , divided  into  eight' 
books,  *aiid  comprehending  the  events  in'  which  the  Flo- 
rentines were  concierned  from  1950  to  tbe  peace  of  Naples  > 
ip  1455^  This  history  was  translated:  into  Italian  by  Jacopo,' 
the  son  of  P<^gio^  'but  the  original  was  puUished  by  Re- 
oanati,  and  has  been- republished  in  ihO' collections  of 
Graviusand  Muratori.  '  Poggio  concluded ' his  career  in' 
tfae> 'possession  of- universal  respect^  and  in  the  tranquil 
enjoyment  of  socj:^!  and  domestic  comforts.     His  remains* 
were  interred  with  solemn  <magtiificience  in  the  church  of 
3intaCroce  at  Florence ;  and  his  fdlow^citizena  testified 
theiir  respect  for  his  talents  and  virtues,  by  erecting  a  sta- 
tu^ \i>  bis  memory  ort  the  front  of  the  church  of  Santa 
Maria  del  Fioife.     As  the  citizen  of  a  free  state,  >whtch  he 
deemed  a  high  honour,  he  improved  every  opportunity 
that  oceacred  for  increasing  and  displaying  the  glory  of  the 


109  P  O  G  G,I  O, 

Tuscan  republic. '  Although  he  was  honoured  by  the  fa« 
Tour  of  the  great,  he  never  sacrifieed  his  independence  at 
tl^e  shrine  of  power,  but  uniforfnly  maintained  the  inge- 
nuous sentiments  of  freedom.  Such  was  the  state  of  mo<« 
rals  in  his  time,  that  the  licentiousness  which  dbgraced  the 
eariy  period  of  his  life,  and  the  indecent  levity  which  oc- 
curs in  some  of  bis  writing^,  did  not  deprive  him  of  the  coun- 
tenance of  the  greatest  ecclesiastical  dignitaries,  or  cause  ty  ra 
to  forfeit  the  favour  of  the  pious  Eugenius,  or  of  the  moral 
and  accomplished  Nicolas  V.  To  those  with  whom  he 
maintained  a  personal  intercourse,  he  recommended  h]m«« 
self  by  the  urbanity  of  his  manners,  the  strength  x>f  his 
jiKlgment,  and  the  sportiveness  of  his  wit.  <^  As  a  scholar^ 
Poggio  is  entitled  to  distinguished  praise.  By  assiduoua 
study, 'ho' became  a  considerable  proficient  in  the  Greek 
language,  and  intimately  conversant  with  the  works  of  the 
Roman  classic  authors.  In  selecting,  as  his  eiemplar  in 
Latin  composition,  the  style  of  Cicero,  he  manifested  the 
discernment  of  true  taste ;  and  his  endeavours  to  imitate 
this  exquisite  model,  were  far  from  being  unsuccessful.  His 
diction  is  flowing,  and  bis  periods  are  well  balanced.  But 
by  the  occasional  admission  of  barbarous  words  and  unau<« 
thoriaed  phraseology,  he  reminds  his  readers  that  at  the 
time  when  he  wrote,  the  iron  age  of  literature  was  but 
lately  terminated.  His  striking  fault  is  diffuseness — a  dif*^ 
fnseness  which  seems  to  arise,  not  so  much  from  the  co-. 
piousness  of  his  thoughts,  as  from  the  difficulty  which  he 
experienced  in  clearly  expressing  his  ideas.  It  mustj  how-> 
ever,  be  observed,  that  he  did  not,  like  many  modern 
authors  who  are  celebrated  for  their  Latinity,  slavishly 
confine  himself  to  the  compilation  of  centos  from  the  works 
of  the  ancients.  In  the  prosecution  of  his  literary  labours^ 
he  drew  from  his  own  stores  ;  and  those  frequent  allusiona 
to  the  customs  and  transactions  of  his  own  times,  which 
render  his  writings  so  interesting,  must,  at  a  period  when 
the  Latin  language<was  just  rescued  from  the  grossest  bar- 
barism, have  rendered  their  composition  peculiarly  difficult. 
When  compared  with  the  works  of  his  immediate  predeces- 
sors, the  writings  of  Pdggio  are  truly  astonishing.  Rising 
to  a  degree  of  elegance,  to  be  sought  for  in  vain  in  the 
rugged  Latinity  of  Petrarca  and  Coluccio  Salutati,  he 
prepared  the  way  for  the  correctness  of  Politian,  and  of 
the  other  eminent  scholars  whose  gratitude  has  reflected, 
such  splen^iid  lustre  on  the  character  of.  Lorenzo  de; 
Medici." 


P  O  G  G  I  O,  10$ 

The  works  jof  Poggio  were  ()obU8bed  together  at  Basils 
in  15S8,  which  is  reckoned  ibe  most  complete  edition.^ 

'  POILLY  (Francis),  a  vei^  excellent  French  engraver^ 
-waS'bornat  Abbeville  in  1629|  and  bred  under  Pierre  Du*- 
ret.  •  •  He  completed  his  knowledge  of  his  art  by  aresidence 
of  seven  years  at  Rome ;  and  on  his  return  to  Paris,  dis- 
tbguished  himself  by  many  capital  works  from  pictures  of 
aaored  and  profane  history,  and  portraits  of  various  sizes^ 
Loois  XIV.  made  him  his  engraver  in  ordinary^  in  1664, 
expressly  on  account  of  his  merit,  and  the  works  be  haS 
pablisbed  in  Italy,  as  well  as  in  France.  He  drew  as  skil- 
fully as  be  engraved.  Precision  of  outline,  boldness,  firm- 
ness, and  clearness,  are  the  characteristics  of  bis  plates ; 
and  it  is  recorded  to  bis  honour,  that  he  never  degraded 
his  abilities  by  engraving  any  subject  of  an  immoral  kindi 
He  died  in  1693.  His  brother  Nicolas,  .  who  was  alaoan 
able  engraver,  survived  bim  only  three  year^ ;  and  both 
left  sons,  who  applied  their  talents  to  painting -and  eu« 
graving.* 

POIRET.  (Peter),  famous  only  for  his  love  of  mysti** 
cism  and  entbnsiasm,  and  for  his  writings  conformable  to 
those  sentiments,  was  bom  at  Metz,  April  15,  1646,  and 
edncated  at  Basle  in  Switzerland,  in  the  college  of  £ra&« 
mns.  His  father,  who  was  a  sword^cutler,  placed  him  a& 
pupil  to  a  sculptor,  and  from  bim  he  learned  .design  at 
least,  and^etaioedso  niQch  of  theart  as  to  draw  the  por^^. 
trait  of  his  favourite,  madame  Bouriguon.  This  pursuit^ 
however,  he  forsook  for  the  learned  languages,  philoso'^ 
phy,  and  theology.  He  became  a  minister  at  Heidelberg 
in  1668,  and  at  Anweil  obtained  a  similar  situation  in 
1674.  Here  it  was  that  he  met  with  die  works  of  the  mys- 
tical writers,  with  which,  particularly  with  those  of  madacbe 
Bdurignon,  he  became  to  the  utmost  infatuated.  Madame 
Guyon  was  another  of  his  favourites,  and  he  idetermined 
to  live  according  to  their  maxims.  Towards  the  end  of 
life  be  retired  to  Reinsberg  in  Holland,  where  he  died,' 
May  SP,  1719,  at  the  age  of  seventy-three.  .His.  worker 
ate  all  6f  the  mystical  kind:  1.  **  Cogitationes  rationalesi 
de  Deo,'*  Amst  1677,  4to  5  twice  reprinted.    2.  '*  L'ceco«> 

1  It  it  amiecMsary  to  «dd  any  other  reference  than  to  Sbepkerd's  elegant  and 
elaborate  life  of  Poggio,  published  in  ia02,  and  which  is  at  the  same  time  an 
eicellent  historical  illustration  of  a  very  interesting  period  in  the  revival  of  lite- 
ratare.  .••«.* 

*  Moreri.*-Struti'  Dictionary. 


10*  POIRE  T. 

liomie  Divide/'  168 1,  in  7  vols.  8vo»  iii  wbicb  all  tbe 
notibns  of  Boiirignon  are  repeated.  3.  '<  La  Paix  de# 
bonnes  Ames/'  Amst  1687,  12mo.  4.  <<  Leg  Princqoes 
solides  de  la  Religion  Chretienne/'  1705, 12aio.  5.  ^^The« 
ologie  dn  Gdbar,''  Cologne,  1697,  t  vols;  ISniOi  6.  He 
publiBbed  als6  a  complete  edition  of  tbe  works  of  madatise 
jBourignon,  in  twentjr^oDe  volumes,  octavo,-  witb  a  life  of 
that  pious  enthusiast.  7.  Ad  attempt  to  attacfk  Descartes^ 
in  a  treatise  ^^  de  Eruditiope  triplici,**  in  2  vols.  4to,  re- 
printed  at  Amsterdan^  in  1707..  Tbis  beii^  directed 
ajgainst  Descartes,  bas  been  compared  to  tb^  attack  of  tbe 
viper  upon  the  61e.  It  contains,  however,  some  good  ob* 
servattons.  ^ 

POIS,  orPISO  (Nicholas- L£),  an  emfnentpbysidai^^ 
was  bom  at  Nancy,  in  1527.  He  studied  medicine  at 
Paris  under  Sylvius,  together  witb  his  elder  brother,  An- 
thony Lepois,  who  was  afterwards  fint,  physician  to  Charles 
III.  duke  6{  Lorraine,  and  author  of  a  valuable  work  oa 
ancient  coins.  Nicholas  succeeded  him  as  tbe  duke*8  phy* 
sician  in  1578.  TThi  result  of  his/practice,  and  of  bis 
very  extensive  reading,  was  at  first  dmwn  up  only  for  tbe 
use  of  bis  sons,:  Christian  andtCbirles^  wbofla  he  destined 
for  tbe  medical  profession  jbutbeiDgpnevailed  on  to  publish 
kf  it  was  printed  at  Francfort,  in  rl580,  in  foUo,  under 
the  title  of  <f  De  cognoscendis  et  curandis  prtsoipud  inter* 
nis  bumani  corporis  morbie,  Libri  tnes,  ex  clarissimorum 
medicorum,  turn  veterum^  turn  leoeptiorum,  monmnentia 
non  itapridem  coUecti."  Boe^basve  iiad  so  bigb  an  i^i^ 
nion  of  this  author,  that  he  edited.  thi9  woi4c>  adding  a 
pre&ce  to  it,  at  Leydeb,  .1736,  in  two  voluases,  quarto; 
and  it  was  again  reprinted  at  Leipaic  in  1766,  2  vols.  8vou 
Tbe  time  of  his  death  bas  not  been  recorded.' 

POIS  (CHAR1.BS  le),  son  of  the  preceding,  was  born  at 
Kancy  in  1563,  and  educated  at  the  college  of  Navarre^ 
at  Paris,  where  be  distinguished  himself  by  bis  rapid  ad* 
vancement  in  tbe  knowledge  of  the  languages,  belles  let- 
tres,  and  philosophy.  He  ceceived  tbe  degree  of  M.  A. 
in  the  university  of  Paris:  in  1581,  and  immediEately 
commenced  his  career  in  tbe  schoob  of  medicine, *  whicb 
he  pursued  at  Paris,  Padua,  and  other  schools  of  Italy. 
When  be  returned  to  Paris  in  1588  he  took  his  bachelor^a 

1  Niceron,  toIs.  IV.  and  X. — ^Mosheim.— Bracker. 
*  £loy  Diet.  HiaU  de  Medicine,  iu  art.  Le  Pois*    . 


P  O  I.a  1Q5 

^egteein  anisidictae,  aad  became  a  licentiate;  but.having 
already  expended  his  little  income  on  the  previous  parts 
of  hki  medical  progresS|  he  waa  obliged  to  leave  Paris 
vitfaout  having  taken. tbed^ree  of  doctor.  He  then  re» 
tuknedtahis  native  city,  where  duke  Charles  III.  of  Lor- 
raine appointed  him  bis  coi;mulung  physician,  and  Duke 
Henry  -II.  instituted  a  feculty  of  medicine  at  Pont-a* 
Mouss<Miy:  and  1  nominated  him.  d^an  and  first  professor* 
Being  now.eiiaUed  to  take  this,  doctor's  degree,  be  went 
toiParisfipr.  that  purpose;  and,,  on  bis  return,  commenced 
the  duties  of  his  .pcofessorsl^ip.  in  November  1598,  which 
be  performed  for  many  years  with  the  highest  reputa-; 
tion,  and  enjoyed  very  e&tensive  practice  until  his  death, 
which  was  occ^tioned'  by  the  plague,  at  Nancy,  whither 
he  bad  gone  to  administer  relief  to  those  afflicted  by  that 
disorder,  in  1633.  His  principal  publication  is  entitled 
^^  Selectiorum  Observationum  et  Gonsiliorum  de  prxtet 
ritis^  baoteiius  morbis,  effectibusque  -  praeter  naturam  ab 
aqu^  aeu  serosa  cdluvie  et  deluvie  ortis^  Lib^r  singut 
Iari%''  Pont-^*Mousson,  1618,  in  quarto.  This  work 
passed  through  sevej^  subsequent  editions,  one  of  which, 
(that  of  Leyden  17  S3),  was  published,,  with  a  preface,  by 
the  celebrated  Boerbaave.  A  selection  from,  or  an  abridg-i 
ment  of  it,  was  also  printed  in  1639,  with  the  title  of 
^  Piso  enucleatus,'*  in  12mo.  His.  other  works  were, 
^'Phystcnm  Comet«8e  Speculilm/'  Ponte  ad  Montionem, 
1619,  in  8vo ;  and  ^  Discours .  de  la  Nature,  Causes,  et; 
Bemedes,'  tant  ouratifs  que  preservatifs,  des  maladies  po^ 
pulaires,  accoinpagn^es  de  Dysenteirie  et  autres  Flux  de 
Ventre,*'  ibid.  1^23,  in  12nu>.  He  translated  from  the 
Spaittab  -into  Latin,  ^'  Ludovici  Mercati  In&titutiones  ad 
usum  et  €f^Amen  eorum  qui  artem  luxatoriam  exercent,^ 
Franief^t,  1625;  in  folio.  He  likewisje  published  the  foU 
lowii^ealogyof  his  first  patron  :  ^^Carolilll.,  Serenissimi, 
Potentissimiqite  DuCis  Lotbaringiae,  &c.,  Macarismos,  seu 
felieitatis  et  virtntum  egregio  Principe  dignarum  coronas,'' 

leeo.* 

.  POISSON  (Nicholas  Joseph),  a  native  of  Paris,  and 
learned  prtQSt  of  the  Oratory,  was  esteemed  well  acquainted 
with  philosophy,  mathematics,  and  divinity.  He  made  a 
considerable  stay  in  Italy,  where  he  acquired,  the  respect 

*  .       I ,  » 

•  V 

1  Eloy  Diet.  Hist.  Ue  Medecine,  in  art.  Le  Pois. — Chaufepie.— Ueet's  cyblo- 
pedia. 


106  P  O  I  S  S  O  N. 

of  the  iitersLtiy  and  was  aometiine  superior  of  bis'congre-^ 
gation  at  Verrddme.  He  died  in  ao  advanced  age  aC 
Lyons,  May  5,  1710.  His  works  are,  a  Summary  of  the 
Councils,  printed  at  Lyons  1706,  in  two  volumes,  folio^ 
under  the  title  *^  Delectus  actorum  Ecctesis  univ^Balisy 
s^u  novaSummaConciliorum,"  &c.  The  second  volume  is 
nearly  half  filled  with  notes  on  the  councils,  and  valuable 
remarks  on  the  method,  mechanics,  and  music  of  Des- 
cartes, who  was  his  friend,  He*^left  also  some  manuscripts.. 
It  is  said,  that  he  was  in  possession  of  several  pieces  by 
Clemangis  and  Theophylact,  which  have  never  beea 
printed.  * 

POISSONNIER  (Peter  Isaac),  a  celebrated  French 
physician,  was  born  at  Dijon,  July  5,  1720.     After  study* 
ing  medicine,  he  succeeded  M.  Dubois  in  1746  as  profes* 
sor  of  physic  in  the  college  de  France.     He  was  one  of  the 
first  who  gave  a  course  of  chemical  lectures  in  Paris.     In 
,1767  iie  was  appointed  first  physician  to  ihe  French  arrny^ 
and  the  year  following  went  to  Russia  to  attend  the  em- 
press Elizabeth  in  her  illness.     He  remained  two  years  in 
Russia,  and  assisted  at  the  famous  experiment  relative  tQ 
the  (Congelation  of  quicksilver,  of  which  he  afterwards  gave. 
an  account  (inserted  in  their  memoirs),  to  the  Academy  of 
sciences  at  Paris,  who 'had  elected  him  a  member.     Soon 
after  he  returned  to  France  he  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of 
counsellor  of  state  ;  and  in  1764  was  appointed  inspector- 
general  of  physic,  surgery,  and  pharmacy,  in  the  ports  and 
colonies  of  France.     His  ingenious  method  of  procuring 
fresh  froni  sea-water,  by  distillation,  procured  him,  in  1765, 
a  pension  of  12,000  livrcs  a-year  from  the  French  govern- 
ment.    In  1777,  he  resigned  his  chair  at  the  college  of 
France ;  but^  in  conformity  to  an  unanimous  vote  of  the 
professors,  continued  to  preside  at  their  public  meetings 
as  long  as  his  health  would  permit.     M.  Lalande  says,  that 
he  did  honour  to  this  office  ^'  by  a  grand  and  striking  figure: 
by  the  dignity  of  his  speech  :  the  nobleness  of  his  man- 
ner :  and  the  deservedly  high  estimation  in  which  he  was 
held  by  the  public."     He  was,  during  the  reign  of  terror, 
imprisoned,  with  his  whole  family,  by  Robespierre;  but 
was  liberated  on  the  death  of  that  monster.     He  died  in 
September  1797  or  179S.     He  is  said  to  have  left  behind 
him  a  very  valuable  collection'  of  natural  history,  medals, 

* 

1  Moreri. — ^Dict.  Hiit. 


POLE.  107 

and  other  curiosities.  He  wrote  several  treatises  belong* 
itig  to  his  profession,  viz.  on  the  fever  of  St.  Doipingo, 
Ibe  diseases  of  seamen,  an  abridgment  of  anatomy,  &c.' 

POLE,  or  POOL  (Reginald),  an  eminent  cardinal,  and 
archbishop  of  Canterbury,  was  descended  from  the  blood- 
royal  of  England,  being  a  younger  son  of  sir  Richard  Pole, 
K.Gi  and  eousin-german  to  Henry  VIL  by  Margaret,  dau^- 
^r  of  George  duke  of  Clarence,  younger  brother  to  king 
Edward  IV.  He  was  born  at  Stoverton,  or  Stourton  castle, 
in  Staffordshire, .  in  1 500,  and  educated  at  6rst  in  the  Car* 
thusian  monastery  at  Sheen,  near  Richmond,  in  Surrey, 
whence,  at  the  early  age  of  twelve,  he  was  removed  to 
Magdalen-college^  Oxford,  and  there  assisted  in  his  stu- 
dies by  Linacre  and  William  Latimer.  In  June  1515,  he 
took  the  degree  of  B.  A.  and  soon  after  entered  into  dea« 
coii^s  orders.  Without  doubting  his  proficiency  in  bis 
studies,  it  may  be  supposed  that  this  rapid  progress  in 
academical  honours  was  owing  to  his  family  interest  and 
pretensions.  Among  the  popish  states  abroad  it  was  not 
vncommon  to  admit  boys  of  iioble  families  to  a  rank  in 
the  universities  or  the  church,  long  before  the  statutable 
4>T  cunonical  periods.  One  object  for  such  hs^sty  prefer- 
ment was,  that  they  might  be  entitled  to  hold  lucrative 
benefices,  and  the  rank  of  their  family  thus  supported : 
and  accordingly,  in  March  1517,  we  find  that  Pole  was 
ismcle  prebendary  of  Roscombe,  in.  the  church  of  Salisbury, 
to  which  were  added,  before  he  hud  reached  his  nineteenth 
year,  the  deaneries  of  Winbourne  Minster,  and  Exeter. 
For  all  these  be  was  doubtless  indebted  to  his  relation 
Henry  YIU.  who  intended  him  for  the  highest  dignities  of 
the  church. 

Having  now  acquired  perhaps  as  much  learning  as  his 
country  at  that  time  afforded,  he  was  desirous  of  visiting 
the  most  celebrated  universities  abroad,  to  complete  his 
education,  and  being  provided  by  the  king  with  a  pension, 
in  addition  to  the  profits  of  his  preferments,  he  fixed  bis 
residence  for  some  time  at  Padua,  where  he  hired  a  house 
and  kept  an  establishment  suitable  to  his  rank.  •  The  pro- 
fessors at  Padua  were  at  this  time  men  of  high  reputation, 
and  were  not  a  little  pleased  with  the  opportunity  of  form- 
ing the  mind  of  one  who  was  the  kinsman  and  favourite  of 
a  great  king,  and  might  hereafter  have  it  in  his  power 

1  Diet.  Hi8t.-^ent  Mag.  1799. 


lOS  POLE. 

amply  to  reward  tbeir  labours ;  and  gome  of  tbem  ereir 
'  now  partook  nobly  of  bis  bounty^  befng  maintained  by  hiin 
in  bi»  bouse.  Here  commenced  his  acquaintance'  witb 
Bembo,  Sadolet,  and  Longdios,  wbich  lasted  the  remainder 
of  their  lives,  and  here  also  his  acquaintance  took  its  ri^e 
with  Erasmus,  who  had  received  from -his  friend  Lupset  a 
very  favourable  representation  of  Pole.  He  therefore  en-^ 
lered  into  an  epistolary  correspondence  with  bim^  which* 
be  began  by  recoaimendiog  to  his  favour  the  afterwards 
welUknown  John  A  Lasco.  (See  Alasco,  vol.  L  p.  292.) 
Besides  the  aid  which  Pole  received  in  his  studies  from 
LongoKus  and  Lupset,  who  is  said  to  have  been  enter- 
tained by  him  in  his  own  family,  he  paidmvch  attention 
XOh  the  lectures  of  Leonicus,  an  eminent  Greek  s<;holar9' 
who  taught  Pole  to  relish  the  writings  of  Aristotle  and 
Plato  in  the  original.  While  Pole  continued  at  Padua^ 
Longtnus  died  in  1522,  and  such  was  the  regard  Pole 
bad  for  him  that  he  wrote  bis  life,  which  Dr.  Neve  thinkar 
was  not  only  the  first  but  the  best^  Specimen  he  gave  the' 
public  of  his  abilities.  It  was  the  production,  however, 
of  a  young  man  who  could  not  have  known  LongoKus 
above  two  years,  and  he  has  therefore  fallen  into  some  mis- 
takes. (See  LONflUEiL.)  * 

Pole  bad  acquired  a  considerable  degpree  of  reputation 
in  Italy,  which  made  his  mother,  now  count6S8  of  Salis* 
bury,  and  other  friends,  desirous  of  his  return,  that  the 
same  display  of  his  talents  might  sanction  the  honours  in-' 
tei^ded  for  him  ;  and  it  was  bis  design  to  set  out  for  Eng* 
land  in  1525;  but  being  desirous  of  seeing  the  jubilee, 
which  was  celebrated  thi»  year  at  Rome,  be  resolved  to 
visit  that  city  first.  On  his  journey  to  Borne  he  was,  we 
are  told,  every  where  received  with  great  respect ;  but  at 
Rome  he  contented  himself  with  viewing  what  was>  moat 
ciirious,  without  appearing  at  the  papal  court.  On  his 
arrival  in  England,  he  was  welcomed  with  great  respect  by* 
the  royal  family,  and  by  the  publie  at  large,  which  he  seems 
to  have  merited  by  his  elegant  artd  accomplished  manners, 
as  well  as- the  proficiency  he  had  i^ade  in  learning.  That 
learning  was  still   his  favourite  pursuit  appears  from  his 

*  In  F«broary  1523-4,  he  was  cho*'  Fo<  the  founder^  although  it  ia  boI  cer- 

sen  a  fellow  of  Corpus  Chrisii  college,  tain  that  he  ever  took  possession,  and 

Oxford,  ^according  to  a  note  in  Wood's  most  probable  that  he  did  not.     Fuller 

Colleges  and  Halls,  p.  390.     This  ap>  says,  without  giving  his  authority,  thait 

pears  to  have  been  done  by  bishop  he  was  br€d  at  Corpus, 


P  O  L  iE.  109 

requesting  from  the  king  a  grant  of  the  house  dean  Colet 
liad  built  in  the  Carthusian  monastery,^  where  be  had  first 
been  educated,  and  where  he  now  devoted  bimieif  to  study 
for  about  two  years. 

The  affair  of  king  Henry's  divorce  drew  Pole  from  hit 
retirement,  and  led  to  the  singular  viciasitades  of  his  life. 
This  was  a  measure  which  he  greatly  disapproved,  but  he 
is  said  to  have  had  some  reasons  for  his  disapprobation^ 
different  from  what  conscience,  or  his  religious  principles, 
might  fairly  have  suggested.     Notwithstanding  his  being 
an  ecclesiastic,  we  are  told  that  he  had  entertained  hopes 
of  espousing  the  princess  Mary,  and  that  this  project  was 
even  favoured  by  queen  Catherine,  who  had  committed 
ihe  care  of  the  princess's  education  to  the  counteM  of 
Salisbury,  Pole's  mother.     Whatever  may  be  in  this  sus- 
'picion,  which  prevailed  for  many  years,   it  appears  that 
he  wished  to  be  out  of  the  way  while  the  matter  was  in  agi« 
tation,  and  therefore  obtained  leave  from  the  king  to  ga 
to  the  university  of  Paris,  under  pretence  of  continuing 
his  theological  studies.     Accordingly  he  spent  a  year  at 
Paris,  from  Oct.  1529  to  Oct.  15;50,  during  which  time 
the  king  having  determined  to  consult  the  universities  of 
Europe  respecting  the  divorce,  sent  to  Pole  to  solicit  hi« 
cause  at  Paris.     Pole,  however,  excused  himself  on  ac-» 
couQt  of  his  want  of  experience,  and  when  Henry  sent  over 
Bellay,  as  joint  commissioner,  left  the  whole  business^  to 
^is  coadjutor,  and  returning  to  England,  went  again  to 
his  favourite  retirement  at  Sheen.     Here  lie  drew  up  bis 
reasons  for  disapproving  of  the  divorce,  which  were  shown 
to  the  king,  who  prob^iy  put  them  into  Cranmer's  hands; 
Cranmer  praised  the   wit  and  argument  employed^  and 
chteGly  objected  to  committing  the  cause  to  the  decision  of 
the  pope,  which  Pole  had  recommended.     Pole's  consent 
tothq  measure,  however,,  appears*  to  have  been  a  favourite 
object  with  the  king;  and  therefore  in   1531,  the  arch^ 
bishopric  of  York  was  offered  him  on  condition  that  he 
would  not  oppose  the  divorce ;  but  be  refused  this  dignity 
on  such  terms,  after  a  sharp  contention,  as  he  says  in  bis 
epistle  to  king  Edward,  between  his  ambition  and  his  con- 
science.    He.  is  said  also  to  have  given  his  opinion  "on  this 
subject  so  very  freely  tlo. the  king,  that  he  dismissed  him 
in;grea^j»ngef  front  bis  presence,  and  never  sent  for  him 
more.! 
Pole  now  resolved  to  leave  the  kingdom,  from  a  dread 


no  POL  E. 

of  Henry's  revengeful  temper^  who,  hoii^ever, '  at  first  Ue» 
haved  rather  better  than  might  have  been  expected;  for 
be  not  only  permitted  Pole  to  go  abroad,  but  continued 
the  pension  which  had  been  before  granted,  and  which,  had 
always  been  teguiarty  paid.  Pole  then  passed  a  year  at 
the  university  of  Avignon  in  France,  the  air  of  which  place 
disagreeing  with  him,  he  went  in  1532  to  Pad«ia.  Here 
be  divided  his  time  between  that  city  and  Venice,  apply-^^ 
ing  diligently  to  theological  studies,  and  was  respected,  as 
be  was  before,  by  the  learned  of  Italy.  After  he  had  been 
a  considerable  time  abroad,  hrs  capricious  relative,  Henry 
Vlll.  solicited  his  return,  but  Pole,  after  many  excuses^, 
plainly  told  his  majesty  that  he  neither  approved  his  di^ 
vorce,  nor  his  separation  from  the  church  of  Rome.  Th^ 
king  then  sent  him  Dr.  Sampsoa^s  book  in  defence  of  the 
proceedings  in  England,  on  which  Pole  embodied  his  folt 
opinion  on  these  proceedings,  in  his  treatise  entitled  ^*  De 
unitate  ecclesiastica.*'  Burnet  and  other  protestant  histo-^ 
rians  very  naturally  censure  this  work  as.  devoid  of  sound 
argument,  and  Phillips  and  other  popish  writers  have  as 
highly  praised  it;  but  all  must  agree  that  in  coarseness  of 
invective  it  does  not  comport  with  the  urbanity  of  style 
and  manner  hitherto  attributed  to  Pole.  Pole  in  fact 
seems  to  have  written  it  as  much  in  contempt  of  Henry,  as 
with  a  view  to  convince  him ;  and  therefore,  when  Henry 
renewed  his  solicitations  for  bis  return,  that  he  might  taUc 
all  these  matters  over  in  an  interview^  be  not  only  refused, 
but  added  to  that  refusal  such  a  repetition  of  irritating  lan-« 
guage  that  no  hope  of  reconciliation  could  be  entertained. 
Henry  therefore  withdrew  his  pension,  and  stripped  himr 
of  his  ecclesiastical  preferments. 

About  this  time  the  pope,  having  resolved  to  call  a  ge-^ 
neral  council  for  the  reformation  of  the  churcb^  summoned 
several  learned  men  to  Rome,  for  that  purpose,  and 
among  these  he  summoned  Pole  to  represent  England* 
As  soon  as  this  was  known  in  that  country,  his  mother  and 
other  friends  requested  him  not  to  obey  the  pope- s  sumr-^ 
mons;  and  at  first  he  was  irresolute,  but  the  importunities 
of  his  Italian  friends  prevailed,  and  he  arrived  at  Rome  in 
1536,  where  he  was  lodged  in  the  pope*s  palace,  and 
treated  with  the  utmost  respect,  being  considered  as  one 
who  might  prove  a  very  powerful  agent  in  any  future  at- 
tempt to  reduce  his  native  land  to  the  dominion  of  the 
pope.    The  |f)rojected  scheme  of  reformation,    in  wliicb 


POLE.  Ill 

Pole  a$»i$te(]|  came  to  liothini;;  but  a  de»ign  was  nour 
fortned  of  advancing  him  to  tbe  purple,,  to  enable  him  the 
better  to  promote  the  interests  of  the  papal  see.  To  this 
be  objected,  and  his  objections  certainly  do  him  no  dk« 
creda,  as  a  zealous  adherent  to  the  order  and  discipline  of 
bis  cburcb.  He  was  not. yet  in  holy  orders,  nor  had  re-» 
ceived  even  tbe  clerical  tonsure,  notwithstanding  tbe  be^ 
^eftces  which  had  been  bestowed  on.  him ;  and  he  repre-* 
sented  to  tbe  pope,  that  such  a  dignity  would  at  this  junc« 
ture  destroy  all  his  influence  in  England,  by  subjecting 
bim  to  the  imputation  of  being  too  much  biassed  to  the  in-» 
terest  of  the  papal  see ;  and  would  also  have  a  natural  ten«* 
dency  lo  bring  ruin  on  bis  own  family.  He,  therefore, 
iatreated  his  holiness  to  leave  bim,  at  least  for  tbe  present, 
where  he  was,  adding  other  persuasives,  with  which  the 
pope  seemed  satisfied ;  but  tbe  very  next  day,  whether  in-  ' 
dttced  by  tbe  imperial  emissaries,  or  of  his  own  will,  -  he ' 
commanded  Pole's  icnniediate  obedience,  and  he  having 
submitted  to  tbe.  tonsure,  was  created  cardinal-deacon  of 
S*  Nereus  and  Achilleus,  on  Dec.  22,  1536.  Soon  after 
be  was  also  appointed  legate,  and  received  orders  to  de^ 
part  immediately  for  the  coasts  of  France  and  Flanders,  to 
keep  up  tbe  spirit  of  the  popish  party  in  England  ;  and  he 
had  at  tbe  same  time  letters  from  .the  pope  to  the  English 
nation,  or  rather  the  English  catholics,  the  French  king, 
the  king  of  Scotland,  and .  to  the  emperor's  sister,  who  was 
regent  of  the  Low  Countries.  Pole  undertook  this  cam- 
mission  with  great  readiness,  and  whether  from  ambition 
or  bigotry,  consented  to  be  a  traitor  to  bis  country.  In 
the  beginning  of  Lent  1537,  he  set  out  from  Rome,  along 
with  his  particular  friend,  the  bishop,  of  Verona,  and  a 
handsome  retinue.  His  first  destination  was  to  France, 
and  there  he  received  his  first  clieck,  for  on  the  very  day 
of  his  arrival  at  Paris,  the  French  king  sent  him  word  chat 
be  could*  neither  admit  him  to  treat  of  the  business  on 
wbidfi  be  came,  nor  allow  him  to  make  any  stay  in  his  do* 
minions.  Pole  now  learnt  that  Henry  VHI.  \iaA  pro* 
claimed  hka  a  traitor,  and  set  a  price  (60,000  crowns)  on 
bis  head*  Pole  then  proceeded  to  Cambray,  but  there  be 
met  with  tbe  same. opposition,  and, was  not  allowed  to  pur-* 
sue  his  j<H]rney.  The  cardinal  bishop  of  .Liege,,  howevec, 
invited  bim,  and  liberally  entertained  bim  in  that  city, 
wbere  he  remained  three  months,  in  hopes  of  more  favour- 
able ^ccoiints  fropi  the  emperQi*  and  the^  kingpf  flrancej^ 


112  P  O  L  E« 

but  notbiiTg  of  this  kind  occurring,  be:retiirii«d  tcRoml 
after  an  expedition  that  had  been  sooiewrhat  disgracefu- 
and  totally  unsuccessfuL  In  1538  he  again  set  out-on  a 
similar  design,  with  as  little  effect,  and  was  now  impeded 
by  the  necessary  caution  be  was  obliged  to  preserve  fop 
fear  of  falling  into  the  hands  of  «oine  of  Henry' 6*  agents. 
In  the  mean  time,  he  was  not  only  himself  attainted  of 
high  treason  by  the  Parliament  of  England,'  but  bis  eldest 
brother  Henry  Polf!^,  lord  Montague,  tbemarquis of  Exeter^ 
sir  Edward  Nevil,  and  sir  Nicholas  Carew, .  were  con* 
demned  and  executed  for  bigh>  treason,  which  consisted  in 
a  conspiracy  to  raise  cardinal  Pole  to  the  crown.-  Sif 
Geoffrey  Pole,  another  brother  of  the  cardinal's,  was  con«rf 
demned  on  the  same  account,  but  pardoned  in  conse-^ 
quence  of  his  giving  information  against  the  rest.  Mar* 
garet,  also,  countess  of  Salisbury,  tbe  cardinal's  mother^ 
was  condemned,  but  not  executed  until  two  years  after* 
Tbe  cardinal  now  found  how  truly  he  had  said  to  the  pope 
that  his  being  raised  to  that  dignity  would  be  the  nin  of 
his  family ;  but  he  appears  to  have  at  this  time  in  a  great 
measure  subdued  bis  natural  affection,  as  he  received  the 
account  of  his  mother's  death  with  great  composure,  con- 
soling himself  with  the  consideration  that  she  died  a  mar^ 
tyr  to  the  catholic  faith.  When  his  secretary  BeccatelK 
informed  him  of  the  news>  and  probably  with  much  oon« 
cern,  the  cardinal  said,  *'  Be  of  good  courage,  we  have 
now  one  patron  more  added  to  those  we  already  had  in 
heaven." 

In  153^,  when  Pole  returned  to  Rome,  the  pope  thought 
it  necessary  to  counteract  the  plots  of  Henry's  etoissaries 
by  appointing  foim  a  guard  for  the  security  of  his  person. 
He  likewise  conferred  on  him  the  dignity  of  legate  of  Vt^ 
terb0|  an  office  in  which,  while  he  maintained  his  charac- 
ter as  an  example  of  piety  and  a  patron  of  learning,  he  is 
said  to  have  shown  great  moderation  and  lenity  towards 
the  protestants.  He  was  here  at  the  head  of  a  literary  so-^ 
ciety,  some  of  the  members  of  which  were  suspected  of  a 
secret  attachmeint  to  tbe  doctrines  of  the  reformation ;  and 
Immanuel  Tremellius,  who  was  a  known  proiestant,  was 
converted  from  Judaism  to  Christianity  in  Pole^s  palace  at 
Viterbo,  where  he  was  baptised,  the  cardinal  and  Flaoii*- 
nius  being  his  godfathers. 

Pole  continued  at  Viterbo  till  1542,  when  tbe  generid 
council  for  the  reformation^f  the  church,  which'  had  beea 


Toil.  US 

h^g  prdmueil  abd  iong  delayed,  was  called  at  Trent,  and 
is  kooivn  in  ecdesiastical  history  as  tbe  famous  ^*  Council  of 
Trent»"  It  did  not,  however,  proceed  to  business  until 
154a,  when  Polet  went  thither,  with  the  necessary  escort 
of  a  tfoop  of  borse^  For  the  proceedings  of  this  extraor* 
dinary  assembly,  we  must  refer  the  reader  to  fiither  Paul^a 
Jiistory.  The  principal  circumstance  worthy  of  notice  re* 
^cting  tbe  cardinal  was  bis  writing  a  treatise  on  tbe  na^ 
tare  and  «nd  of  general  councils,  just.before  he  left  Rome^ 
in  which  he  proves  himself  the  determined  advocate  for  the 
boundless  prerogative  of  the  pope.  He  continued  at  Trent 
until  a  rheumatic  disorder,  which  fell  into  one  of  his  arms» 
obliged  him  to  go  to  Padua  for  medical  advice ;  and  after« 
wanis,  the  council  being  prorogued,  he  went  to  Rome  at 
*lhe  request  of  the  pope,  who  wished  to  avail  himself  of  hii 
pen  in  drawing  up  memorials  and  vindications  of  tbe  pro* 
ceedings  of  the  see  of  Rome ;  and  Pole^  a  man  of  superiot 
talents  to  most  of  the  Italian  prelates,  knew  how  to  render 
these  very  persuasive,  at  a  time  when  freedom  of  discus«> 
sion  was  not  allowed. 

On  the  death  of  Henry  VIII.  in  1547,  be  endeavoured 
to  renew  his  designs,  in  order,  as  bis  partial  historian  says, 
f^  to  repair  the  breaches  which  Henry  had  made  in  tbe 
ittth  and  discipline  of  the  church."  On  this  occasion  he 
solicited  the  pope's  assistance,  and  wrote  to  the  privy«» 
cevmcil  of  England,  partly  soothing  and  partly  threatening 
them  with  what  tbe  pope  conld^do;  but  all  this  had  no 
effect,  and  the  members  of  tbe  privy-council  refused  to 
receive  either  the  letter  or  him  who  brought  it.  The  car<> 
dinal  also  drew  up  a  treatise,  and  inscribed  it  to  Edward 
VL  which  contained  an  elaborate  vindication  of  his  con# 
doct  towards  tbe  late  king,  but  it  does  not  appeac  that  it 
ever  came  into  £dward's  bands.  Pole  therefore  remained 
^11  attainted,  and  was  one  of  the  few  excepted  in  tbe  acts 
of  grace  which  passed  at  the  accession  of  the  young  king.  '■'. 

In  1549,  our  cardinal  had  the  prospect  of  advancement 
to  all  of  power  and  dignity  which  tbe  church  of  Rome  had 
to  bestow^  the  chair  of  St.  Peter  itself.  On  the  death  of 
pope  Paul  III.  he  was  proposed  in  tbe  conclave  as  bis  ^uc«» 
cesser  by  pahlinal  K&rnese,  and  tbe  majority  of  votes  ap** 
peared  to  be  in  bis  favour,  when  an  opposition  was  ex«^^ 
cited  by  the  Fr«ach  party,  with  cardinal  Carafb  at  their 
head,  who  hoped^  if  Pole .  were  set  aside,  to  be  choseoi 
hlm^fiU;    It  waa^  neoessaryi  however,  to  show  somd  strong; 

VOL.XXV*  I 


114  t  O  ls%. 

grouads  for  oyiporiiig  canioiibl  {ViKe ;  ftinl  tkoM,  Irad  thtf 
been  |»roTedy  were  oertatnly  stroog  eoeagby  heresjr  and 
falcon diieney :  ^lie  had  been  lesAetA  Sm  the  protestaou  at 
Vkerboy  mad  be  vms  tke  vepvted  fadier  d  a  young  sirl,  at 
4bis  timeaiiuiL.  :  Bat  agajnttiioth  tbese  cliarges  fQ>Mi  «in^ 
dicated  himself  in  the  flioat  aatisfactovy  maimer,  and  his 
party  determined  to  elect  Mm.  Why  they  did  not  saecoedl 
is  Fariously  related^  It  is  said  that  they  t»9n  ao  impatteii^ 
p9  hring  the  aiatter  to  a  conclusion  as  to  go  lata  at  night 
to  P^le^a  bouse  to  pay  their  adorattoas  to  faimy  according 
to  custttia,  asMl  that  Pole  refiisad  to  accede  to  each  a  fash 
|Mid  uoseasoDable  proceeding,  and  requested  they  wooUl 
defer  it  notil  inarniDg.  They  then  letiffody  but  iauaedK^ 
ately  after  two  of  the  candisala  came  again  to  him,  and  as«t 
•ored  htm  that  they  neqohred  nothing  of  htm  bat  arbat  waa 
usual ;  apon  which  he  gate  hta  oooaent,  bat  afterwards  rei- 
pented,  and  endeayonred  (to  vetract.  The  eaixlioais,  in  the 
siean  time^  of  their  xiwn  aecord  had  deferred  prooeeditiga 
until  next  morning,  when  a  very  different  spirttappeared/it 
the  conclave,  and  the  election  fell  upon  eafrdiaail  de  Moti«e^ 
ii4io  ve^ed  as  pope  by  the  name  of  Jaiiins  UI.  a  man  of 
whom  it  is  su£5ieient  to  say  that  be  gave  his  candtaal^s  imlt 
to  a  boy  who  had  the  cane  ef  his  racsdoey^  Wiien  Pole  ap* 
peaied,  with  abe  oHher  cavdinals,  to  perform  his  adoratioa 
to  the  new  pQf)e,  the  latter  raised  bin  up  and  easbiaeod 
ihim,  telling  hi■^  diat  it  was  to  bis  disiatenestedness  be 
owed  the  fKipacy.  How  £ar  ear  cardinal  was  really  disin* 
terested,  is  a  matter  ef  dispute.  Sowe  suppose  tbitt  ba- 
atili  had  in  Tiew  a  .manriage  with  tlie  princess  Mary,  and 
die  hopes  of  a  crown:;  and  at  is  oertaki  that  he  had  bkberto 
uever  taken  pnest's  orders,  that  he  might  beat  liberty  to 
lietum  to  the  secular  world,  Jwhiohhis  being  only  a -cardinal 
would  srot  have  opposed* 

^  The  cardinal  was  at  a  eonveat  of  the  Bona^otines  at 
MagoaanOy  in  the  territory  of  V-onioe,  whither  be  had  re^ 
tured  when  the  tranquiliity  of  Eome  was  distorbed  by  the 
JRiench  war,  wiiea  the  4mportQet  news  arrived  of  the  ao* 
oession  of  the  prinoess  Mary  to  the  thsene  of  £ng(aiid,  bjr 
the  dei^h  of  her  brother  Edward  VJ.  it  was  immediaii^ 
determined  by  the  court  of  Rome  that  he  dMuld  be  sent  aa 
legate  to  ^ngbuid^  in  evder  to  promote  that  object  to 
wUch  his  fiuniiy  bad  been  saori&eed,  the  redttottan  of  the 
kingdom  to  the  obedience  of  the  holy  see.  Pole^  how* 
ffer,  who  did  not  know  that  hja.attaijador  ^ras  taken  eiff^ 


^  O  L  E.  Hi 

t 

iMeffmUi^d  t^fH  to  ^enii  bU  feoreiaifjr  to  Spgland  to  oag)cfi 
t)K9  QMeesary  imqiiiri^H  and  to  prei^^iH  l^tlers  to  ib(?  qui^fq^i 
irjio  s^n  dissipated  bis  fears  by  an  aqnpi^  assufi^ncf}  of  )ie« 
aititacbinent  io  tba  eatbolic  oatiso*    H^  tbea  i^t  o^^  ip  Oct, 
14133,  b«it  in  bis  way  through  Gdrfnany,  wfis  ctetaiiie4  by 
^  emperor,  wbo  was  ;then  negoiQiaung  a  marrifgi^  be^ 
Iwaeir  his  soa  Philip  and  tbe  queen  of  £ngland>  tp  wb^c|4 
be  imagiped  the  cardinal  would  be  an  ob^taicle.    This  de*' 
lay  wae  the  asore  mof tifying.  as  the  emporor  a<  tk^  p^m% 
^me  refused  toadoiit  Urn  into  bis  presence^  although  bf 
hfd  haea  eommissioned  by  the  pope  %q  endeavour  to  fiiie;* 
dialte  a  peace  between  tbe  emperor  and  the  f^re^iob  lf^if)g> 
8ot  tbe  gres^^  of  all  his  mortifioations  came  ffon^  q^e/s^i 
Mary  herself,  who  under  various  pretences,  wbicb  tbf  <^^F-r 
dteal  aa^  io  their  proper  light,  contrived  ^o  keep  }^ 
^eed  until  bepr  marriage  with  Philip  was  coneliidedf 
•   All  obatades  being  noiw  reenoved,  be  prof^eedi^d  hof^f^^ 
wards,  and  arrived  at  Dover,  Nov,  JO,   1554,  wbere  hf 
was  seeeiviad  by  soane  persons  of  rank,  and  reaqbii^g  j^pn- 
doe,  was  welconaed  by  their  majesties  in  ithe  nip^t  bi^Q^r-' 
ikble  nMuiner.     No  time  was  now  lo9i  in  endeavouring  t^ 
promote  the  great  objects  of  bis  misiiion.     Qn  the  27tb  of 
Herejonber,  the  candinal  legate  went  to  the  House  of  Peer^i 
where  tbe  king  and  queen  were  present,  and  made  a  long 
apeeeb,  in  which  be  invited  tbe  parUaoaent  to  a  reeonciliT 
ntjee  with  liie  apostolie  see :  from  whence,  he  aaid»  b# 
was  seot  by  the  vcommoo  pastor  of  Cbristendon^,  to  bri^g 
baak  tjiieBi  wbo  bad  long  strayed  from  tbe  inclosar^  of  tbe 
churcfa;  aiul  two  days  after  tbe  Speaker  repotted  l^o  jtb^ 
iioisse  of  Gofioaons  the  substance  of  this  speech.     Wbi^( 
IbUawod  may  be  read  witb  a  blush.    Tbe  !two  9o4^es  ojf 
Partiametit  agreed  is. a  petition  to  be  reconciled  to  the  ^^ 
of  Q/Mse,  which  was  presented  to  the  king  and  qut^etv,  and 
etoted,  on  the  part  of  the  parliament,  that  ^*wl\erea$  t)^ 
liad  been  guiky  of  a  most  horrible  defeetf on  and  $cb^l9 
fmm  the  Apostolic  see,  they  did  now  sincerely  r^pen^  5^ 
ft;  and  in  sign  of  their  repentance,  were  ready  to  irepevJ- 
all  th^  laws  ipade  in  prejudice  of  that  see  ;  therefore,  ^inof 
ihe  king  and  queen  bad  been  no  way  defiled  by  tb^ 
-schism,  they  prayed  them  to  intercede  wirth  tb<^  legate  \f 
4grant  them  abscdiutjan,  and  to  ceceive  th^ns  again  into  i^he 
£osQin  of  the  cboroby^*   .  This  petition  being  pe^^Q^d  kf 
jboih  Houses  on  their  knees  to  ibe  king  and  q^ee«},v(b§if 
aoiajesties  made  their intiercessian  witb  tjm  iega^e,  wtbp>  i> 

I  2 


1 16?  1^  6  L  E. 

ti  long  speech,  thanked  the  parliament  tbr  repealing  tb# 
act  against  binii  and  making  him  a  member  of  the  nation^ 
from  which  he  was  by  that  act  cat  oiF;  in  recompense  of 
which,  be  was  npw  to  reconcile  them  to  the  body  of  the^ 
ehurcb.  After  enjoining  them,  by  way  of  penaoce,  to 
repeal  the  laws  which  they  had  made  against  the  Romisb 
religion,  he  granted  them,,  in  the  pope*s  name,  a  fall- 
absolution,  which  they  received  on  their  knees;  and  bd 
also  absolved  the  whole  realm  from  all  ecclesiastical  cen^- 
•ore.  But  however  gratifying  to  the  court  or  parliament 
all  this  mummery  might  be,  the  citizens  of  London  and 
(he  people  at  large  felt  no  interest  in  the  favours  which  the 
pope's  representative  bestowed.  In  London,  during  one  of 
his  processions,  no  respect  was  paid  to  him,  or  to  the  croi^ 
carried  before  hini ;  and  so  remiss  were  the  people  in  otbev 
parts  in  their  congratulations  on  the  above  joyful  oceaaioiiy 
that  the-qcieea  was  obliged  to  write  circular  letters  to  the 
•berif&^  compelling  them  to  rejoice.  r 

■  After  the  dissolution^  of  parliament^  the  first  thing  takenr 
into  consideration  was,  in  what  manner  to  proceed  against 
tlie  heretics.  Pole,  as  we  have  before  noticed,  had  beea 
charged  by  some  with  favouring  the  protestants ;  but  h^ 
now  expressed  a  great  detestation^  of  them,  adding  pro* 
bably  something  of  personal  resentment  to  his  constitiitioiuil 
bigotry,  and  would  not  now  converse  with  any  who  bad 
been  of  that  party,  except  sir  William  Cecil.  Since  his 
arrival  as  legate,  bis  temper  appeared  to  have  undergone 
-an  unpleasant  alteration :  he  was  reserved  to  all  except 
priiili  and  Ormaneto,  two  Italians  whoia  he  brought  with 
him,  and  in  whom  he  confided.  Still  for  some  time  he 
recommended  moderate  measures  with  respect  to  heretics^ 
^bile  Gardiner  laboured  to  hasten  the  bloody  persecution 
which  followed;  but,  either  oui*argued  by  Gardiner,  or 
influenced  by  the  court,  we  find  that  he  granted  commis-^ 
sions  for  the  prosecution  of  heretics,  as  one  of  the  first 
acts  of  his  legantine  authority.  If  in  this  he  was  persuaded 
4X>ntrary  to  his  opinion  and  feelings,  he  must  have  been 
^fae  most  miserable  of  all  men ;  for  the  consequenees,  it  is 
well  known,  were  such  as  no  man  of  feeling  eould  contemn, 
-plate  without  horror. 

•  In  March  1555,  pope  Julius  IILdiedy  and  in  less  than  a 
tdonth,  his  successor  Marcellus  II.  on  which  vacancy,  the 
queen  employed  her  interest  in  favour  of  cardfaial.  Pole^ 
)»ut  without  ci&ct;  nor  was  he  more  successful  when  1iq& 


t»  0  L  E.  117 

^990at  to  Flanderathis  year^  to  negociate  a  peace  between 
fiance  and  the  emperor.  To  add  to  his  disappointments^ 
the  new,pope»  Paul  IV.  had  a  predilection  for  Gardiner, 
and.  favoured  the  views  of  the  latter  upon  the  see  of  Can^ 
terbury^  vacant,  by  the  deposition  of  Cranmer ;  nor  al- 
though the  queen  nominated  Pole  to  be  archbishop,  would 
the  pope  confirm  it,  till  after  the  death  of  Gardiner.  The 
day  after  Cranmer  was  burnt,  March  22,  1556,  Pole,  who 
liow  for  the  first  time  took  priest^s  orders,  was  consecrated 
archbishop  of  Canterbury.  .  Having  still  a  turn  for  retire- 
ment, and  being  always  conscientious  in  what  he  thought 
-his  duties,  he  would  now  have  fixed  his  abode  at  Canter- 
bury, and  kept  that  constant  residence  which  became  a 
good  pastor,  but  the  queen  would  never  sufler  him  to 
leave  the  court,  insisting  that  it  was  more  for  the  interest 
|)f  the  catholic  faith  that  he^should  reside  near  her  person^ 
Many  able  divines  were  consulted  on  this  point,  who  as- 
sured the  cardinal  that  he  could  not  with  a  safe  conscience 
jsbaadou  her  ms^esty,  ^  when  there  was  so  much  busi- 
ness to  be  done,  to  crush  the  heretics,  and  give  new  life 
$o  the  catholic  cause." 

In  November  of  the  same  year,  he  was  elected  chan- 
'Cellor  of  the  university  of  Oxford,  and  soon  after  that  of 
Cambridge,  and  in  1557  he  visited  both  by  his  commissa- 
ries. It  was  on  these  occasions  that  the  shameful  ceremon)^ 
was  ordered,  of  disturbing  the  ashes  of  Peter  Martyr's 
wife,  at  Oxford,  and  of  Bucer  and  Fagius,  at  Cambridge. 
Other  severities  were  exercised  ;  all  English  Bibles,  com» 
ments  on  them,  &c.  were  ordered  to  be  burnt,  and  such 
strict  search  made  for  heretics,  that  many  fled,  and,  ac- 
cording to  Wood,  the  university  lost  some  good  scholars* 
The  only  instance  of  the  cardinars  liberality  to  Oxford, 
was  his  giving  to  AU-Souis'  college,  the  living  of  Stanton 
Harcourt. 

,  It  was  cardinal  Pole^s  misfortune  that  he  was  never  long 
snceessful  in  that  line  of  conduct  which  be.  thought  would 
have  most  recommended  him ;  and  now,  when  he  was 
doing  every  thing  to  gratify  the  Roman  see,  by  the  perse- 
cution of  the  protest^nts,  &c.  the  pope,  Paul  IV.  disco* 
vered  a  more  violent  animosity  against  him  than  before. 
/  The  cause,  or  one  of  the  causes.  Was  of  a  political  nature. 
Faul  wais  now  engaged  in  a  war  with  Philip,  king  of  Spain 
and  husband  to  Mary,  and  he  knew  that  the  cardinal  was 
devoted  to  the  interesits  of  Spain.     He  therefore  wanted  a 


%i^  *  d  L  ft. 

legate  at  the  cOurt  6f  £ng1&i)d  Hke  hittlsdf,  tig6r6ti$  ^A 
resolute  J  leh6;  bjr  takih^  the  lead  in  coUi^cil,  iintf  gaitiih^ 
the  queen's  confidence,  inight  prevent  hef  fromettgtein^ 
Ih  ti^r  husband's  quarrels.  But  while  Pole  n^thained  itt 
ihat  station,  he  was  a|5prehensiVe  that  by  his  InstigattOi^ 
Sh6  dQight  enter  iuto  alliances  destrnetive  to  his  polities. 
Upon  f atioUd  pretensions,  therefore,  Paul  IV.  rtevived  th6 
bid  ac6u^ati6n  Against  the  cardinal,  of  being  a  suspected 
h^r^tic,  and  summoned  him  to  Rome  to  ah$werth6  ebar^^. 
Ht  deprii^ed  him  also  of  the  office  of  legate,  whtdb  he 
cbftferred  upon  Peyto,  a  Franciscan  friar,  whom  be  bad 
instde  a  cardinal  for  the  purpose,  designing  also  the  see  of 
Salisbury  for  him.  This  appointment  took  place  in  Sfept. 
l5iy,  and  the  uew  legate  was  on  his  way  to  England,  wbell 
th^  bulls  eam^  into  the  bands  of  queen  Mary,  who  having 
been  informed  of  their  contents  by  her  ambassador,  laid 
them  up  without  opeuing  them,  or  acquainting  Pole  with 
them.  She  also  directed  her  ambassadbr  at  Roiife  to  t^ll 
Iiis  holiness,  *'  that  this  was  not  the  method  to  keep  tb6 
ItltigSota  steadfast  in  the  catholic  faith,  but  rather  to  mak^ 
It  more  heretical  than  ever,  for  that  cardinal  Pole  was  th<} 
Very  Anchor  of  the  catholic  party,**  She  did  yet  more,  and 
Wth  sbmewhat  of  her  father's  spirit,  charged  Peyto  at  hi* 
peril  t&  set  fobt  upon  English  gtound.  Pole,  however. 
Who  by  ^bxht  means  became  acquainted  with  the  fact,  Ah^ 
phyeA  that  superstitious  veneration  for  th6  apostolic  see 
which  Was  the  bane  of  his  cbar^ter,  and  immediately  laid 
ilOWn  the  ehsigns  of  his  legantine  power ;  and  dispatched 
his  friend  Orm^neto  to  the  pope  with  an  apology  so  sub«- 
missrve,  that,  w^  are  told,  it  melted  the  obdurate  heart  of 
Paul.  *The  cardinal  appears  to  have  been  restored  to  his 
poWef  as  legate  soOn  sifter,  bat  did  Oot  live  to  enjoy  it  a 
full  yesir,  being  seized  with  an  &gue  which  carried  him  off 
Nov,  18,  1558,  the  day  after  the  death  of  queen  Mary. 
With  them  ejcpired  the  power  of  the  papal  see  over  the 
political  or  religious  Constitution  of  this  kingdom,  and  aft 
its  fatal  effects  On  religiOfi,  liberty,  and  learning. 

Cardinal  Pole  Was,  in  person,  of  a  middle  stature,  at)d' 
tbm  habit ;  his  compIe&iOn  fair,  with  an  open  countenance 
and  cheerful  aspect.  His  constitutioo  was  healthful,  aU 
though  not  strong.  He  was  learned  and  elOquefit^  and 
naturally  of  a  benevolent  and  mild  disposition,  but  his 
bigoted  attachment  to  the  see  of  Rome  occasioued  his 
bfeitig  concerned  iii  transactioos  which  probably  would  kiof 


P  O  L  B,  Hi 

h^^  impakii^  mih  kim ;  jet  wa  havB  no  rtMon  to  t^kk 
jfcbai  he  c^suaded  ibc^  couxi  of  quoen  Mftiy  from  ^tg  ahoi* 
mmable  crmeliief  i  aad  u  is  cartain  ^bat  many  of  tbaia  wera 
j^anriad  ^n  id  bia  aama*    Mr.  PbiUif^S)  wbo  wrote  an  elabo* 
m^  biiograpbioal  vindicatioa  of  f^ajrdiaal  Pde^  but  wbi^ 
fvoAild  not  openly  vindiaaie  tbe  at udite»  of  Mary*a  reig% 
bas  unfortunately  assertedi  that  not  one  person  was  put  ta 
daatb  in  tbe  dioc«^  of  CaotoAary,  after  tbe^cardioal  was 
fNTOBioted  to,  that  see  ;^  bat  Mr.  Ridley  bas  clesjrly  proved 
tbat  DO  les9  ibaii  twenty*foi4r  were  burnt  iu  one  year  ia 
tbat  diocese^   wbile  P<4e  was  arcbbisbap*     Gilpin,  bowr 
evev,  seettis  to  be  of  ofHuioa  tbat  be  "  would  certainly 
ba^e  prereated  tbose  reproacbos  on  bb  religion  whicb  tbig 
reign  occastoned,    had  his  resolution  been  equaL  (So  bii 
judgment.^'     Of   both   we   bave  a  raoiarkable  example^ 
alluded  lo  already^  but  more  fully  quoted  by  tbe  taine  au<> 
tbor  ia  bis  life  of  Latimer,  wbiob  seeoss  to  be  conclusive 
as  to  tbe  cardinars  real  cbaracter*    Wben^  in  a  oouncU  of 
bisiiapa,  it.waa  imitated  how  to  proaeed  with  berettca,  tbe 
cardinal  said^  <^  For  ray  pert,  I  tbink  we  sbould  be  con* 
teot  with  the  public  restoration  of  religion ;  and  iostead  of 
irritating  our  adf  ersaries  by  a  rigorous  eKecution  of  tbe 
revived  statutes,  I  couki  wish  tbat  every  bishop  in  bis 
diocese  would  try  tbe  more  winukilg  expedients  of  gentler 
ness  and  persuasion/f     He  then  urged  tbe  example  of  tbe 
emperor  Charles  V.  wbo,  by  a  severe  persecution  of  the 
Lutherans,  involved  himself  in  many  difficulties,  and  pur^ 
chased  nothing  but  dishonour^ .  Notwithstatiding  tbe  libe- 
rality  and  humanity  of  these  sentiments,  when  Garditier, 
Bonner,  and  others  equally  violent,  were  beard  in  favour 
of  severe  .measures,  Pole  bad  not  tbe  courage  to  dissent  $ 
and  tbe  result  was  a  o(nnmission  issued  by  himself,  im«- 
powering  tbe  bishops  to  try  and  examine  heretics,  agree* 
ably  to  the  laws  which  were  now  revived. 

Pole's,  private  life  appears  to  have  been  regular  and  un- 
blan^eabie*  His  behaviour  in  bis  last  moiaenta,  says  Dl* 
Neve,*  ^^  shewed  that  his  religion,  though  ilUdirected,  was 
sincere  and  genuine*"  He  appears  to  have  been  charitable 
and  generous,  and  a  kind  master  to  bis  domestics.  He  was 
naturally  fond  of  study  and  retirement,  and  certainly  better 
adapted  lo  these  than  tbe  noore  active  and  public  sceoes  gf 
life,  in  which,  however,  we  have  seen  that  he  was  very 
frequently  employed.  There  is  no'  part  of  bis  character,, 
says  tbA  author  just  quoted^  m(Mre  aQ#bl^  than  wbeu  w^ 


ft*  POLE; 

mew  him  in  bis  retirement,  and  in  ihe  social  intercoMM- 
tirith  private  fiiiends  :  here  he  appeared  to  great  advantage^ 
land  displayed  all  the  endearing  good  qualities  of  the  polite 
Scholar,  the  cheerful  companion,  and  the  sincere  friend. 
It  appears  by  Beccatelli  that  he  was  a  man  of  wit,  and 
many  of  his  repartees  would  have  done  credit  to  the  wit» 
of  a  more  refined  age. 

He  left  his  friend  Priuli,  a  Venetian  man  of  quality,  bis 
executor  %nd  heir ;  but  the  latter,  whose  attachment  to  the 
cardinal  was  as  disinterested  as  it  was  constant,  after  dis- 
charging the  specific  legacies,  divided  the  whole  of  the  pro* 
"petty  in  the  way  that  he  thought  would  have  been  most- 
agreeable  to  the  cardinal,  and  reserved  to  himself  only  hia 
friend^s  Breviary  and  Diary. 

Pole  published  some  other  small  pieces,  besides  those 
we  have  mentioned  in  the  preceding  account,  and  some 
translations  from  the  fathers.  He  was  several  years  em« 
ployed  in  collecting  various  readings,  emendations,  &c.  of 
Cicero^s  works,  with  a  view  to  a  new  edition,  but  the^e 
are  supposed  to  be  lost.  Dodd  also  mentions  a  collection 
of  dispatches,  letters,  and  dispensations,  &;c.  during  the 
time  of  his  reforming  the  Church  of  England  in  queen 
Mary's  reign,  4  vols.  fol.  which  are  preserved  among  the 
MSSi.  in  the  college  of  Doway ;  and  Tanner  notices  a  few 
^ther  MSS.  in  our  public  libraries.  In  17^4 — 1752  a  very 
valuable  collection  of  letters  which  passed  between  Pqle 
and  his  learned  friends,  with  preliminary  discourses  to  each 
Totnme,  was  published  by  cardinal  Quirini,  in  4  vols.  4to^ 
This  was  followed,  after  Quirini's  death,  by  a  fifth  volume^ 
from  his  collections.  The  title,  ^^  Cardinalis  Poll  et  alio«.> 
rum  ad  ipsum  EpistolaB.'*  Of  the  life  of  Cardinal  Pole  muck 
-Was  discovered,  and  many  mistakes  rectified,  in  consequence 
bf  the  controversy  excited  by  Mr.  Phillips's  life  (See  Phil-* 
UPS;  I'homas)  and  which  was  carried  on  with  great  spirit  ^ 
'  POLEMBERG  (Cormeuus),  or  Poelemburg,  a  cele- 
brated Dutch  painter,  was  born  at  Utrecht  in  1586,  where 
be  became  the  disciple  of  Abraham  Bloemart,  but  went  to 
complete  his  studies  at  Rome.  His  first  determination  waa 
to  imitate  the  manner  of  Elsheimer ;  but  when  he  contemn 
plated  the  works  of  Raphael,  he  was  so  affected,  that  he 
was  led  irresistibly  to  copy  after  that  much  higher  modeL 

)  Biog.  Britd— Atb.  Ox*  vol.  T,-*-Life  by  PfaiiUps,  and  tbe  Aoi>wers  by  Ridltfy, 
Veye,  &c.— and  Pye*K  Translation  of  Beccatelli's  Life  of  Pole. — Dodd's  Churcll 
»Ut^y.^Mor«>s  Life  of  Sir  Tbomas  More,  pp.  67>  H^d,  SS4,  Ate.  Ikcw 


P  OtE  M  B  ERG.  I2t 

Yhid  uniotl  of  bbjects  produced  a  mixed  but  original  siyle  i 
more  free  and  graceful  than  the  Flemish,  though  with  far 
}ess  grandeur  and  excellence  of  design  than  the  Italian. 
He  could  not  rise  to  the  execution  of  large  figures ;  bia 
best  pieces,  therefore,  are  of  the  cabinet  size ;  but  he  sur« 
passed  all  his  contemporaries  in  the  delicacy  of  his  touchy 
the  sweetness  of  his  colouring,  and  the  choice  of  agreeable 
objects  and  situations.  His  skies  are  clear,  light,  and 
transparent ;  his  back-grounds  often  ornamented  with  the 
Testiges  of  magnificent  Roman  edifices ;  and  his  female 
figures,  which  are  usually  without  drapery,  are  highly 
beautiftil.  He  returned  rather  reluctantly  to  Utrecht^ 
where,  however,  his  merit  was  acknowledged  by  the  great 
Rubens.  Charles  I.  invited  him  to  London,  where  he  was 
much  employed,  and  richly  paid ;  but,  though  he  was 
much  solicited  to  remain  here,  his  love  for  bis  native 
country  prevailed,  aiid  be  returned  to  Utrecht,  where  be 
died  in  1660,  afflqent  and  highly  esteemed.  The  genuine 
"works  of  Polemberg  are  extremely  scarce ;  but  figuires  by 
bim  maybe  found  in  the  works  of  other  artists,  particularly 
those  of  Steenwyck,  and  Kierings;  and  his  disciple  Johft 
Vander  Lis  so  successfully  imitated  his  style,  that  the 
works  of  the  pupil  are  frequently  taken  for  those  of  thii 
master.^ 

POLENI  (John},  an  Italian  marquis,  and  a  learned  ma« 
Ibematician,  was  born  at  Padua  in  1683.  He  was  appointed 
professor  of  astronomy  and  mathematics  iR  the  university  of 
h\s  native  city,  and  filled  that  post  with  high  reputatioD» 
In  three  instances  he  gained  prizes  from  the  Royal  Aca* 
idemy  of  Sciences,  and  in  1739  he  was  elected  an  associate 
bf  that  body.  He  was  also  a  member  of  the  academy  of 
Berlin,  a  fellow  of  the  London  R<;>yal  Society,  and  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Institutes  of  Padua  and  Bologna,  and  contributed 
many  valuable  mathematical  and  astronomical  papers  to  the 
-Memoirs  of  these  Societies.  As  he  was  celebrated  for  his 
iskill  and  deep  knowledge  of  hydraulic  architecture,  he  was 
iiominated  by  the  Venetian  government,  superintendant  of 
the  rivers  and  waters  throughout  the  republic :  other  states 
also  applied  to  him  for  advice,  in  business  belonging  te 
the  same  acience.  He  was  sent  for  by  pope  Benedict  XI  V« 
to  survey  the  state  of  St  Peter's  church  at  Rome,  and  drew 
lip  a  memoir  on  what  he  conceived  necessary  to  be  dpne* 

^  PilkinftoA.'ii-D'ArgeDyiUe,  vol.  Ilf^r-D^camps,  ▼»!.  I.r-*^\VaIpole's  AaecdQt^ 


IM  POLENI. 

He  died  at  Padua  in  1761,  at  the  age  of  IS.  He'app^n 
to  have  acquire  rery  distingoiibed  reputation  in  bis  day^ 
jind  was  the  eonre^ondent  of  many  learned  contemporaries^ 
particniariy  sir  Isaac  Newton,  Leibnitz,  the  Bernooiili^s^ 
Wolff,  Catsini,  Graveiande,  Moschenbroeck,  FooteneHe^ 
•nd  others.  Nor  was  be  more  esteemed  as  a  matfaemati* 
eian  than  as  an  antiqaary,  and  the  learned  world  is  indebted 
to  him  for  a  valoable  supplement  to  the  coliections  of  Grtt* 
Tills  and  Gronorios^  Venice^  1737,  5  vols.  fol.  bat  these 
Tolomes  are  rather  scarce.  Among  bis  other  most  valued 
publications  are,  **  Exercitationes  Vitruviaoae,  sea  Com^ 
mentarius  Critieus  de  Vitruvii  arcbitectora,"  Venice,  1 739^^ 
4to ;  and  **  Dissertazione  sopra  al  Tempio  di  Diana  di 
£feso,*'  Rome^  1742.  Fabroni  gives  a  long  list  of  his  ina^ 
tfaematical  and  astronomical  essays,  and  of  the  MSSw  he  left 
Wbind  him.  ^  { 

POLIDORO.     See  CARAVAGGIO. 

POLIGNAC  (M ELCHiOR  de)  a  celebrated  French  car^^ 
dtnal,  was  born  Oct.  11,  1661,  at  Poy,  in  Velay,  and  was 
the  son  of  Louis  Armand,  viscount  de  PoUgnac,  descended 
from  one  of  the  most  ancient  families  in  Languedqc.  He 
Was  sent  early  to  Paris,  where  be  distinguished  himself  as 
•  student,  and  was  soon  noticed  as  a  young  man  of  elegant 
manners  and  accomplishments.  In  1689,  cardinal  de 
Bouillon  carried  him  to  Rome,  and  employed  him  in  several 
important  negociattons.  It  was  at  one  of  his  intervievta 
with  pope  Alexander  YIII.  that  this  pontiff  said  to  him^ 
^  You  seem  always,  sir,  to  be  of  my  opinion,  and  yet  it  ia 
your  own  which  prevails  at  last.**  We  arc  likewise  told 
that  when,  on  his  return  to  Paris,  Louis  XIV.  granted  htm 
along  audience,  he  said  as  he  went  out,  ^^Ibave  been 
conversing  with  a  man,  and  a  young  man,  who  baa. 
contradicted  me  in  every  thing,  yet  pleased  me  in  every 
thing."  In  1693,  he  was  sent  as  ambassador  into  Po* 
)and,  where  he  procured  the  prince  of  Conti  to  be 
elected  and  proclaimed  king  in  1696;  bqt,  this  eleci* 
tion  not  having  been  supported,  he  was  obliged  to  re# 
tire,  and  return  to  France,  where  he  arrived  in  169*8,  after 
losing  all  his  equipage  and  furniture^  which  was  seized*  by 
the  Dantzickers.  The  king  then  banished  him  to  his  abbey 
at  Bonport,  but  recalled  him  to  court  with  great  expressiona 
of  regard  in  1702,  and  in  1706  appointed  him  auditor  of 
the  Ruta.     M.  Polignac  then  set  out  again  for  Rome  ;  and 

1  Fabioai  Vite  lUloruoii  Tol.  XII.— Diet.  Hist 


P  0  L  I  G  M  A  C.  in 

aihlln«l  dte  U  l^reiMulttoi  who  crondutt«d  the  Fuench  af- 
Sms  there^  lillyitfg  lb6  same  opkiion  of  bim  «  cardinal  d% 
£ouiUo&  bad,  Miployad  him  in  66t0ml  negociationtf. 
GtMDg  back  to  Fraftc^  thr^a  j^eari  after,  hia  majasty  sMt 
htm  a»  |^Wnipol6fitiary  into  Holland  in  1 7 1  o,  with  mareebal 
il'UiieU«ft.  He  waa  alto  pi^nipotdnciary  at  Ibe  conferanoea 
M4p6a€«of  Ucreebt»  in  17I2  and  17I9.  The  king,  sa^ 
tkfied  wiib  bis  seri^ices,  obtained  a  cardinal's  hat  for  bim 
(be  saoBre  year^  and  appointed  bim  master  of  fais  cbapel; 
Daring  Ibie  regenoy,  cardinal  de  Polignac  was  banished  ta 
hi*  abbey  of  Anohin  in  1718,  And  not  recalled  till  172 u 
in  1724,  be  went  to  Rome  for  the  election  of  pope  6ene<* 
diot  XlII.  and  remained  there  eight  yeflrs^  being  encrusted 
with  tbe  ftffiMfs  of  France.  In  1726,  he  was  made  arobbi- 
shop  Of  Aaeb,  returned  to  bis  natita  country  in  1732,  and 
died  at  Paris^  Notember  10,  1741,  aged  80.  He  was  A 
member^df  the  French  Academy^  the  academy  of  science^ 
and  that  of  belles  lettres.  He  is  now  chiefly  remem*- 
ber^  for  his  elegant  Ltitin  poemi  entitled  *^  Anti-Lucre'* 
tius,*^  in  whith  he  refutes  the  system  mid  doctrine  of  £pi^ 
eurus,  according  to  the  principles  of  Descartes*  philosophy. 
Thvs  lie  left  to  a  friend,  Charles  de  Roth^lin,  who  published 
It  in  1747,  2  rols.  8vo.  It  has  since  been  often  reprinted^ 
and  elegantly  translated  by  M.  de  BougaiuTille,  secretary 
to  the  academy  of  belles  iettres..  His  Life  was  published  at 
Paris,  1777,  2  Vols.  f2mo^  by  F.  Chrysostom  Fauchen 
The  reyiewer  of  this  life  very  justly  lays,  that  the  man  who 
compiled  the  ^^  Anti-Lucretius,'*  and  proposed  a  plan  for 
forming  a  new  bed  for  the  Tiber,  in  order  to  recover  the 
Statues,  medals,  basso-relievos,  and  other  ancient  monu-* 
ments^  which  were  buried  there  during  the  rage  of  civil 
fiictions,  and  the  incursions  of  the  barbarians^  deserves  an 
eminent  place  in  literary  biography.  Few  works  have  been 
more  favourably  received  throughout  Europe  than  the  car-" 
dinars  celebrated  poem,  although  he  was  so  much  of  a 
Cartesian.  The  fitst  copy  that  appeared  in  England  waa 
one  in  the  possession  of  the  celebrated  earl  of  Chesterfield^ 
l^nd  such  was  its  reputation  abroad  at  that  time,  that  thia 
Copy  was  conveyed  by  a  trumpet  from  marshal  Saxe  to  thcf 
Duke  of  Cumberland,  directed  for  the  earl  of  Chesterfield* 
It  was  sent  to  him  both  as  a  judge  of  the  work,  and  a  friend 
df  the  writer '. 

1  Life  M  Abare.— Diet.  fi}8i«i^1i«it»raeVI*s  Menpirs.— Monthly  Review^ 
wl.  LVI. 


iiiH  :   T  o  LIT  h 

.  PQLITI  (Alexander),  w^  bom  at  Floretic^  in  I67$» 
;&nd  was  early  distiDguished  in  the  schools  of  philosophy  and 
.theology,  for  the  extent  of  his  memory  and  the  sagacity  of 
bis  mind*  He  became  very  early  a  teacher  in  the  sciences 
jaboye-mentioned,  and  in  rhetoric  at  Genoa;  but  in  nSS^p 
yvas  invited  to  Pisa  to  give  lectures  on  the  Greek. language^ 
«?bence  be  was  promoted  to  the  professorship  of  eloquence^ 
iwhich  had  been  some  time  vacant,  after  the  death  of  Bene^ 
<dict  Avefano.  He  died  of  an  apoplexy,  July  23,  1752. 
He  distinguished  himself  as  a  commentator  and  as  an  aa- 
|tbor,  by  publishing,  1/An  edition  of  Homer  with  Eusta^ 
thius's  commentary,  to  which  he  added,  a  Latin  transla- 
tion,  and  abundant  notes,  in  3  vols,  folio,  1730,  1732^ 
1735.  The  fourth  volume  was  in  the  press  when  he  died^ 
but  has  not  since  appeared.  2.  ^*  Martyrplogium  Roma« 
pum  castigatum,  ac  commentariis  illustratam,^*  folio,  Flo- 
rence, 1751.  3.  /*  Orationes  12  ad  Academiam  Pisanam^ 
1746.'*  4.  *' Panegyricus  Imp.  Francisco  I.  consecratosj" 
Florence,  4to.  5.  **  De  patria  in  condendis  testamentis 
potestate,''  Florence,  1712,  12mo,  in  four  books.  ^ 
.  POLITIAN  (Angelus),  a  most  ingenious  and  learned 
Italian,  was  born  July  14,  1454,  at  Monte  Pulciano  inr 
Tuscany  ;  and  from  the  name  of  this  town,  in  Latin  Mms 
Pclitianus^  he  derived  the  surname  of  Politian.  His  fathei; 
was  a  doctor  of  the  civil  law.  His  name,  according  to  Ma 
Paillet,  was  Benedictus  de  Cinis,  or,  de  Ambroginis,  for 
be  considers  the  former  as  a  corruption  of  the  Ifttter. — rPo« 
litian,  who  gave  early  proofs  of  an  extraordinary  genius^ 
bad  the  advantage  of  Cbristophero  Landino^s  instructions  in 
the  Latin  language.  His  preceptors  in  the  Greek  were 
Andronicus  of  Thessalonica  and  John  Argyropylus.  Hif 
abilities,  at  a  very  early  period  pf  his  life,  attracted  the 
notice  of  Lorenzo  and  Julius  de  Medici.  An  Italian  poem^ 
the  production  of  his  juvenile  pen,  in  which  he  celebrated 
an  equestrian  spectacle,  or  Giostra,  wherein  the  latter  bore 
away  the  prize,  greatly  contributed  to  establish  his  repu«» 
tation.  He  was  thence  honoured  with  the  peculiar  pa-> 
tronage  of  the  Medicean  family ;  and,  among  other  persona 
remarkable  for  genius  and  learning,  whom  the  munificence 
of  Lorenzo  attracted  to  Florence,  Politian  was  seen  to 
$hine  as  a  star  of  the  first  magnitude.  Lorenzo  confided 
to  him  the  education  of  his  own  children ;  and  in  tfaia 

i  Fabroni  V|t9  lUilonim.  * 


?  O  L  ITI  A  NC  125 

lioik)ttfabIe  employment  he  passed  a  gre&t  part  of  his  lire, 
fayoored  with  the  peculiar  friendshrp  of  his  patron,  and  the 
society  and  correspondence  of  men  of  letters.  Among  the 
more  intimate  associates  of  Politian,  was  Pieus  of  Miran-* 
dola,  and  between  these  eminent  scholars  there  was  a  strict 
attachment,  and  a  friendly  communication  of  studies.  The 
Platooic  philosopher,  Marsilius  Ficiuus,  conipleted  this^ 
literary  triumTirate* 

Politian  had  been  indebted  for  his  education  to  Lorenro^ 
who  had  eariy  procured  for  faifin  the  citizenship  of  Flo-^ 
rence;  placed-  him  in  easy  and  affluent  circumstances; 
probably  conferred  «n  him  the  secular  priory  of  the  college 
of  S.  GipTanni,  which  be  held  ;  and  on  his  entrance  into 
clerical  orders^  appointed  him  a  canon  of  the  cathedral  of 
Florence.     It  was  at  this  period  that  the  arts  and  sciences 
began  gradually  to  revive  and  flourish ;  philosophy  *'to  be 
freed/*  to  use  the  expression  of  aatiquaries,  "from  th^ 
dust  of  barbarism,*'  and  critictsia  to  assume  a  manly  and 
irational  appearance.    The  more  imn»ediate  causes  wbtcli 
brought  about  these  desirable  events,  were,  the  arrival  of 
4he  illustrious  Grecian  exiles  in  Italy  ;  the  discovery  of  an* 
tient  manuscripts;  establishment  of  public  libraries,  and 
seminaries  of  education;  and  especially  the  invention  of 
printipg.  No  braneh  of  science  was  cultivated  with  greatef 
ardbur  than  classical  literature  :  under  the  peculiar  patron-^ 
age  of  Lorenzo,  and  of  some  of  the  chief  of  other  states  in 
Italy,  who  imitated  his  liberality,  eminent  scholars  engaged 
with  incredible  ardour  and  diligence,  in  collating  manu- 
scripts, and  ascertaining  the  genuine  text  of  Greek  and 
Latin  authors :    explaining  their  obscurities,    illustrating 
them  with  commentaries,   translating  them  into  various 
languages,  and  iipitating  their  beauties^ 

The  *^  Miscellanea''  of  Politian  were  first  published  at 
Florence,  in  1489,  and  were  every  where  received  with  the 
greatest  ap]dau$e,  and  compared  by  the  learned  to  the 
^<  Noctes  Attics"  of  Aulus  Gellius.  His  Latin  version  of 
Herodian  is  universally  allowed  to  be  a  masterly  perform^ 
ance,  and  perhaps  no  other  translation  of  any  Greek  au-* 
ihor  has  l^een  so  niich  and  so  generally  admired.  Some 
critics  have  declared,  that  if  the  Greek  of  Herodian  could 
liave  been  suppressed,  this  work  might  have  passed  among 
likt  learned  for  the  classical  and  finished  production  of 
aome  original  pen  of  Antiquity.  Yet  amidst  such  general 
#ppEobation|  there -werc^  not  ^i^ting  othejFs  who  aocusei 


%26  ^OtlTIAM. 

\Am  of  having  publUhed  w  bi»  *w»,  »  vtf nugn  ^cviPiieljF 
lawulp^  by  Gr^^oriu^  ^f  Tipl^rn«iii:  M.  4<b  U  Mw»ojr« 
maintains  tjiat  Ommhwmf »  native  of  L^mgo^fteftrVi^^osa^ 
coaiQoonly  ^etiOQAiaat^d  Oionibon^  Yicesntioii^y  ivfis  <b0 
author  of  tbi^  prior  vief^ion ;  aod  ^od^arQur^  to  prpir^  fr^i<^ 
a  fragment  of  it»  tb»t  Politian  bad  ^een  md  fty^iiteiii  kim* 
^If  of  it.    These  detrftpiioftf,  boweverp  fca^e  noi  bw»  g0^ 

nerally  admitted.  Politian  inscribed  tbid  vief^iao  to  Popo 
I^nfioeent  VIIL  io  a  dedicntiop  wbicb  19  prefixed  lo  fM^t  of 
the  ancient  editioo^  of  ihe  work,  and  ^bicb  procwr^d  bum 
a  present  froi]Q  bis  boUneys  pf  two  hundred  g$dd  or^vi^t 
Politian  returned  tbai)k^  in  a  .courtly  and  sosoiewbat  adnla^ 
tory  epistle,  in  wbicb  be  ej^tols  the  pope's  boiuM;y,  and 
protoiiises  to  redouble  bis  efforts  to  prodi^oe  somefcfaing  mwtm 
worthy  of  so  exaked  a  patron. 

Tbe'^  Greek  Epigran^"  of  Ptditian  were  wrijbjbeo^  f/^rike 
most  part,  •  when  be  was  very  yotiog,  hm  frosa  the  addresa 
to  the  reader  prefixed  to  tbeoi,  in  the  volume  of  his  works^ 
they  appear  to  have  been  p«bUsb^d  after  bis  deaths  fron 
the  original  manuscrj^t,  by  Zenobitts  Accisyobis,  who  did 
not  consider  theoa  as  adding  m^ch  to  tbe  fanae  of  (bbe  aa^ 
thor,  and  some  of  tbem  might  have  been  avppreased,  withf 
out  injury  to  literature,  and  a&ttm\ly  with  advantage  to  Ijm 
moral  reputation  of  tbe  author^  He  is  supposed  to  har^ 
written  a  translation  of  Homer,  but  no  part  <Qf  it  is  Aoar 
known  to  exist  Of  bis  other  Latin  poems,  the  ^  llanto,^ 
^  Rusticus,"  and  probably  the  ^'  Ambna,"  were  oecasipnal^ 
and  intended  for  public  recitation ;  and  apfhear  to  ha\na 
been  published  at  the  instance  of  stMoae  of  bi«  pupils.  Per>» 
haps  bis  most  laboured  production  is  the  ^  Nubdcia,''^  vbicib 
seems  to  be  the  poem  sent  by  bigs  jto  MatibiaskiDg  of  Hun* 
gary,  as  a  specimen  of  bis  taleolis. 

The  labours  of  Politian  ca  ibe  tpandeds  of  Jostiniaa :  bis 
collations  and  corrections  of  classic  .authors,  and  tbe  lesa 
voluminous  pieces  that  are  ctmtaioed  iu  bis  woiii:s,  af9 
lasting  monuments  of  bis  erudition  and  industry;  but^ucHi 
was  his  confidence  in  bis  powers,  that  be  affeoted  to  .ooiuaf- 
der  all  bis  past  works,  merely  as  preludes  to  otberii  of 
greater  magoitude.  These,  boweifter,  he  did  oot  live  ta 
execute. 

Serious  ebarges  have  beea  .alleged  agaiu^  the  purity  of 
his  morals :  but  these  are,  for  tbe  snotit  part,  allowed  to 
rest  on  the  very  questionabJe  authoeityiof  Paulus  ^oivius ;  of 
whom  it  is  said,  that  prsjudioe,  xeseAftmeut,  or  interest 


P  O  LITl  A  N.  I» 

gmapaily  guided  iiis  pen.  Politian  hta  fcMiud  able  adro^ 
cates  in  Pierius  YaleiiaDus  *^  De  Lafelicttate  Literatorum^^ 
In  Bartbius'  ^^  Adversaria/*  and  in  Mr*  Roscoe.  li  nual 
be  acknowledged,  however,  aap  bia  late  biographer^  Mr# 
Gresswell,  that  the  youthful  muse  of  Poiitian  did  not  ai-» 
ways  adfaere  to  the  strictness  of  decorum,  «fiamlttoo.eom'» 
men  amongst  the  poetical  writers  of  his  age.  A  few  of  bia 
Greek  epigrams,  as  well  aa  of  his  Latin  verses,  are  very  ex** 
ceptionafole. 

The  only  probable  account  of  the  death  of  this  distin-* 
guifihed  scholar  is,  that  it  was  prematurely  occasioned  by 
bis  grief  for  the  misfortunes  of  the  Medicean  fiamily,  from 
whom  he  bad  received  so  many  favours, .  and  with  whose 
prosperity  and  happiness,  his  own  were  so  intimately  oon-* 
«ected.  This  event  took  place  September  24,  1494^  ia 
the  forty-first  yesr  of  his  age.  His  **  Letters,**  which  serve 
to  illustrate  bis  life  and  literary  labours,  were  prepared  fot 
the  press  by  himself,  a  very  short  time  before  his  deaths 
at  the  particular  request  of  the  son  and  successor  of  Lo« 
renze.  The  letters  of  Politian  and  his  friends,  in  the  ear* 
lier  editions,  at  least  in  that  printed  by  Jo.  Badius  Ascen-* 
sius  at  Paris,  1512,  are  entitled  '^  Angeli  Politiani  Epis* 
toIaB,*'  but  in  a  subsequent  edition  of  1519  from  the  same 
press,  more  properly  ^^  Virorum  lilustrium  £pistol»/*  ^ 

POLLEXFEN  (Sir  Henry),  an  English  lawyer  and 
judge,  was  descended  from  a  good  family  in  Devonshire, 
where  he  probably  was  educated,  as  Prince  intimates  that 
be  was  of  no  university.  He  studied  the  law,  however^  at 
eae  of  the  inns  of  court,  and  acquired  very  considerable 
practice  in  the  reign  of  Charles  II.  He  was  counsel  for 
the  earl  of  Danby  in  1€79,  wbG»m  he  advised  to  plead  his 
pardon  ;  and  the  corporation  of  London  afterwards  engaged 
him  to  plead,  with  Treby,  in  behalf  of  their  charter.  lu 
1688  he  sat  as  one  of  the  members  for  the  city  of  Exeter, 
and  he  was  retained  as  one  of  the  counsel  for  the  bishops* 
After  the  revolution  he  was  knighted,  called  a  serjeant  April 
11,  1689,  and  appointed  chief  justice  of  the  common  pleas 
#n  May  5  following ;  but  be  held  this  office  a  ^ery  short 
time,  dying  in  1692.  Burnet  calls  him  **  an  honest 
and  learned,  but  perplexed  lawyer/'  In  1702  was  pub* 
bshed  his  ^^  Arguments  and  Reports  in  some  special  cases 
in  the  King*s  Bencb  from  22  to  36  Car.IL  ^v^ith  some  case^ 

^  Gr^swelPs  Memoirs  of  PoUtiaQ«-<-Roscoe's  Lorenzo  and  Le«. 


%2$  t  D  L  L  E  X  r  E  K. 

in  the  Colnmon^  Pleas  and  Excheqaer,  together  with  dirert 
decrees  in  the  High  Court  of  Chancery,  upon  Limitaiiont 
of  Trusts  of  Terms  for  years,"  foL  with  two  tables.  Tb# 
copies  of  these  reports,  Mr.  Bridgman  informs  us,  are  Yery 
incorrect,  varying  in  the  pages,  and  in  the  dates.  In  tbo 
pages  there  is  a  chasm  from  173  to  176,  and  from  181  to 
184,  with  other  errors. ' 

POLLUX  (Juuus),  an  ancient  Greek  grammarian,  wai 
bom  at  Naucrates,  a  town  in  Egypt,  in  the  year  ISO.  Hav?> 
ing  been  educated  linder  the  sophists,  he  became  eminent 
in  grammatical  and  critical  learning;  taught  rhetoric  at 
Athens,  and  acquired  so  much  reputation,  that  be  was  ad^r 
vanced  to  be  preceptor  of  the  emperor  Comi^odus.  .  He 
drew  up  for,  and  inscribed  to  this  prince  while  his  father 
Marcus  Antoninus  was  living,  an  **  Onomasticon,  or  Greek 
Vocabulary,''  divided  into  ten  books.  It  is  still  extant^ 
and  contains  a  vast  variety  of  synonymous  words  and 
phrases,  agreeably  to  the  copiousness  of  the  Greek  lan« 
guage,  ranged  under  the  general  classes  of  things*  The 
first  edition  of  the  '<  Onomasticon"  was  published  at  Venice 
by  Aldus  in  1502,  and  a  Latin  version  was  added  in  the 
edition  of  1608,  by  Seberus;  but  there  was  no  correct  and 
handsome  edition  of  it,  till  that  of  Amsterdam^  1706,  in 
folio,  by  Lederlin  and  Hemsterhuis.  Lederlin  went 
through  the  first  seven  books,  correcting  the  text  and  ver* 
don^  and  subjoining  his  own,  with  the  notes  of  Salmasiusi 
Is.  Vossius,  Valesius,  and  of  Kuhnius,  whose  scholar  he 
had  been,  and  whom  he  succeeded  in  the  professorship  of 
the  Oriental  languages  in  the  university  of  Strasburgh* 
•Hemsterhuis  continued  the  same  method  through  the  three 
last  books.  Pollux  died  in  the  year  238.  He  is  said  to 
have  written  many  other  works,  none  of  which  are  comd 
down  to  us ;  but  there  was  another  of  the  same  name,  who 
is  supposed  to  have  flourished  about  the  end  of  the  fourth 
century,  and  wrote  **  Historia  physica,  seu  chronicon  afa^ 
origine  mundi  ad  Valentis  tempora."  Of  this  Bianconi 
published  the  first  edition  at  Bonon.  1779,  fol.  and  Igna-^ 
tins  Hardt,  a  second  in  1792,  ^vo^  without  knowing  of  th^ 
preceding.* 

POLO  MARCO.    See  PAULO- 

>  Koble's   Continuation    of     Granger.— Prince'«  VtTorthiet. — Bamet'fl  Owi^ 
Times.-- Bridgman*s  Legal  Bibliography. 
I  Fabric,  Bibl  Qnec,— Yotiiuc  4e  Uiit.  Or«e.— ^loant'i  Onmn, 


P  O  L  Y  ^  N  U  S.  129 

i^OLY-SNUS  is  the  name  of  many  eminent  personages 
recorded  in  ancient  writers,  particularly  Julius  Polyasnus, 
6f  whom  some  Greek  epigrams  are  extant,  in  the. first  book 
of  the  Anthologia.  But  the  PolyaBUUs  who  is  best  known> 
flourished  in  the'  second  century,  and  is  the  author  of  the 
eight  books  of  the  '^  Stratagems  of  illustrious  Commanders  • 
in  war."  He  appears  to  have  been  a  Macedonian,  and  pro.*- 
bably  was  a  soldier  in  the  younger  part  of  his  life ;  but  we 
are  more  certain  that  he  was  a  rhetorician,  and  a  pleader  of 
causes ;  and  that  he  enjoyed  a  place  of  trust  and  dignity 
under  the  emperors  Antoninus  and  Verus,  to  whom  he  de* 
dicated  bis  work.  The  "  Strategemata"  were  published  in 
Greek  by  Isaac  Casaubon,  with  notes,  in  J  589,  12mo  ;  but 
no  good  edition  of  theno  appeared,  till  that  of  Leyden, 
1690,  in  8vo.  The  title-page  runs  thus:  "  Polyeeni  Strait 
tegematum  libri  octo,  Justo  Vulteio  interprete,  Pancratius 
Mas^svicius  recensuit,  Isaaci  Casauboni  nee  non  suas  notas 
adjecit.'*  This  was  followed,  in  1756,  by  Mursinua's  edi- 
tion, Berlin,  and  by  that  of  Coray,  at  Paris  in  1809, 
8vo.  We  have  now  an  excellent  English  translation  by 
Mr.  R.  Shepherd,  1793,  4to.  It  contains  various  strata- 
gems, of  above  three  hundred  commanders  and  gene^rals  of 
armies^  chiefly  Greeks  and  Barbarians,  which  are  at  least 
entertaining,  and  illustrative  of  the  nianners  of  the  times 
in  which  those  commanders  lived ;  but  it  may  be  doubted 
whether  a  modern  soldier  would  gain  much  advantage  by 
making  himself  master  of  this  tricking  study.  The  origi- 
nal has  come  down  to  us  incomplete,  and  with  the  text  con- 
siderably mutilated  and  corrupted;  but  the  style  is  clas- 
sical, and  even  elegant. 

The  whole  collection,  says. the  translator,  if  entire, 
would  have  consisted  of  nine  hundred  stratagems ;  con- 
taining the  exploits  of  the  most  celebrated  generals,  of 
various  nations,  fetched'  from  ages  remote  as  th^  page  of 
history  will  reach,  and  carried  forward  to  our  author^s  own 
time :  so  wide  was  the  field  he  traversed  of  annals,  histories, 
and  lives,  in  the  prosecution  of  his  design  ;  a  manual,  as  he 
terms  it,  of  the  science  of  generalship.  And  in  so  large  a 
collection,  if  some  stratagems  occur,  that  bear  a  resem- 
blance to  each  other,  som^^imes  with  little  variation  em- 
ployed, by  the  same  general,  and  sometimes,  on  differeoifc 
occasions,  copied  by  others ;  the  reader  will  be  rather  sur- 
prised that  he  finds  so  few  instances  of  this  kind,  than  led 
to  have  expected  none.     Some  will  strike  him  as  unimpor- 

VoL.  XXV.  K 


130  POL  Y  JE  N  U  S. 

tanti  and  soili^  are  not  properly  military  stratagems.  Soine 
devices  again  will  appear  so  ludicrous  and  absurd,  as  no-" 
thing  but  the  barbarism  of  the  times,  the  ignorance  and 
superstition*  that  in  some  states  prevailed,  will  reconcile  to 
credibility.  The  stratagems  however  that  rank  under  those 
classes  are  few:  the  work  in  general  was  executed  with 
great  judgment ;  and,  as  the  author  himself  observes,  he 
bad  employed  upon  it  no  small  degree  of  pains. 

Polyaenus  composed  other  works  besides  his  ^  Strate* 
gemata.^*  Stobseus  has  produced  some  passages  out  of  m 
book  **  De  Republica  Macedonum  ;"  and  Suidas  mentions 
another  concerning  "  Thebes,"  and  three  books  of  "Tac- 
tics." If  death  had  not  prevented,  he  would  have  written 
^  Memorabilia  of  the  emperors  Antoninus  and  Verus :" 
ifot  this  he  promises  in  the  preface  to  his  sixth  book  of 
Stratagems. ' 

POLYBIUS,  an  eminent  Greek  historian,  was  of  Mega- 
lopolis, a  city  of  Arcadia,  and  was  the  son  of  Lycortas,  ge-* 
neral  of  the  Achseans,  who  were  then  the  most  powerful 
republic  in  Greece.  He  was  bom  in  the  fourth  year  of  the 
143d  olympiad,  or  in  the  548th  year  of  the  building  of 
Rome,  or  about  203  years  before  Christ.  When  twenty-^ 
four  years  of  age,  the  Achseans  sent  him  and  bis  father 
Lycortas  ambassadors  to 'the  king  of  Egypt;  and  the. son 
had  afterwards  the  same  honour,  when  he  wa«  deputed  to 
go  to  the  Roman  consul,  who  made  war  upon  Perses,  king 
of  Macedon.  In  the  consulships  of  iEmilius  Psetns  and 
Julius  Pennus,  a  thousand  Achseans  were  ordered  to  Rome^ 
as  hostages,  for  the  good  behaviour  of  their  countrymert 
who  were  suspected  of  designs  against  the  Romans ;  aiKi 
were  there  detained  seventeen  years.  Polybius,  who  was 
one*  of  them,  and  was  then  thirty-eight  years  of  age,  had 
great  talents  from  nature,  which  were  well  cultivated  bf 
education;  and  bis  residence  at  Rome  appears  to  hav^ 
-been  of  great  advantage  to  him ;  since  he  owed  to  it,  not 
only  the  best  part  of  his  learning,  but  the  important  friend- 
ship be  contracted  with  Scipio  and  Lcelius  ;  and  when  the 
time  of  his  detention  expired,  he  accomp8|iied  Scipio  into 
Africa.  After  this  he  was  witness  to  the  sack  and  destruc* 
Uon  of  Corinth,  and  of  the  leduction  of  Achai^l  to  the 
condition  of  a  Roman  province.    Amidst  these  dreadful 

1  Votf.  d9  HiHi  Qiao^^Fftbuo*  BibL  Oittc;-.^SIiei»ta«rd'i  TcMM^timi.^ 
Saxii  0«giaaL8t« 


^  O  L  Y  B  I  U  S;  til 

sctoes,  he  displayed  ooble  trsiits  of  patriatidtn  iiml 
disinterestedness,  which  obtained  fdr  him  so  much  cre~ 
die,  that  he  was  entrusted  with  the  car^  of  settling  the 
new  form  of  goTernment  in  the  cities  of  Gre^o^, 
which  office  he  performed  to  the  satisfaction  both  of  ttie 
jHomans  and  the  Greeks.  In  all  hi&  journeys  he  atfi«4«>' 
sed  materials  for  his  history,  and  took  such  obsefvatiotts 
as  to  render  his  descriptions  very  accurate  Although 
bis  chief  object  was  the  history  of  the  Romans,  whose  Ihn^ 
guage  be  had  learned  with  great  care,  and  the  establish^ 
HieDt  of  their  empire,  yet  be  had  in  his  eye  the  general 
bistory  of  the  times  in  which  be  lived;  and  therefore  be 
gave  bis  work  the  name  of  *^  Catholic  or  Universal  :^^  nor 
was  this  at  all  inconsistent  with  his  general  ptlr<pose,  there 
bekg  scarcely  any  nations  at  that  time  in  tbd  kno^h  world, 
which  had  not  some  contest  with,  or  dependence  upoii,  the 
Romans.  Of  foriy  books  which  he  composed,  there  remain 
but  the  first  five  entire ;  with  aii  epitome  of  thei  twelve 
following,  which,  is  supposed  to  have  been  made  by  that 
great  assertor  of  Roman  liberty,  Marcus  Brutus.  Brutus^ 
is  said  to  have  been  so  partieulariy  fond  of  Polybius,  that^ 
even  in  the  last  and  most  unfortunate  hours  of  his  life,'  hef 
amused  himself  not  only  in  readings  but  also  in  abridging 
his  history*  The  space  of  time  which  this  history  includes^ 
is  fifty-three  years,  beginnings  after  two  of  introductory 
matter^  at  the  third  book. 

How  much  this  htstortan  was  valued  by  the  ancients,  ap«- 
pears  by  the  number  of  statues  erected  to  his  honour,  and 
Cicero^  Strabo,  Josephus,  Platarob,  and  others,  have  spoken 
of  him  in  terms  of  the  highest  applause.  Livy  however 
bas  been  censured  for  calling  him  only  auiptor  baudqua*' 
quam  spernendus,  *^  an  author  by  no  means  to  be  de-^ 
spised,"  after  he  bad  borrowed  Very  largely  from  hini ;  bat 
Caaanbon  and  VTossius  think  that  according  to  thef  usual 
phraseology  of  the  aneients,  Livy's  eij^pressioii  implies  ai 
very  high  eulbgium,  Polybius's  style  is  by  flo  means  ele- 
gant,  but  the  acctifacy  a'Ad  fidelity  of  his  narrative  reiKleif 
his  history  ^  work  of  great  imporiaDce*  There  is  no  his-' 
torian  amo^g  the  ancients,  from  whdm  more  is  to  be 
leamed  of  the  events  which  he  profesise^  to  narrate,  and 
ibis  mncb  t6  be  lamented  that  his  bistoty  has  not  descended 
to  us  in  a  perfect  state.  We  hate  only  the  first  five  books 
entire,  and  an  abridgment  of  the  twelve  following,  with 
some  excerpta  or  extracts  of  this  history,  formerly  made  by 

K  2 


ISS  P  O  L  Y  B  I  U  a 

Constantiniis  Porphyrogenitus :  which  were  first  published 
in  Greek  by  Ursinus  in  1582,  and  in  Greek  and  Latin  by. 
the  learned  Henry  Valesius  in  1634.  Poly biu« .lived  to-  a» 
great  age ;  but  concerning  the  particulars  of  his  life  much 
cannot  be  collected.  He  was  highly  honoured  by  the 
friendship  of  Scipio ;  who,  when  the  other  hostages  from 
Achaia  were  distributed  through  the  cities  of  Italy,  obtaiii^cV 
leave  by  his  interest  for  Polybius  to  live  at  Rome.  He<  died 
at  eighty-two  years  of  age,  of  an  illness  occasioned  by  a 
fall  from  his  horse.  ^  ' 

His  history  was  first  published  at  Haguenau,  by  Obso- 
pseus,  in  1530,  fol.  Gr.  and  Lat.  and  was  reprinted  by  Isaac 
Casaubon  at  Paris,  1609,  in  folio,  an  edition  very  highly  va- 
lued. The  next  is  Gronpvius's,  with  many  additions,  par- 
ticularly the  *^  Excerpta  de  legationibus,  et  virtutibus ''ae 
vitiis  v"  for  the  "  Extracts  of  Constamine,"  published  se- 
parately by  Ursinus  and  Valesius,  were  upon  those  subjects. 
Gronovius's  edition  was  published,  at  Amsterdam,  1670,  3- 
vols.  8vo  'f  but  the  best,  and  indeed  an  incomparable  spe- 
cimen of  editorial  learning  and  accuracy,  is  that  of  Leipsic, 
1789,  9  vols.  8vo»  Hampton^s  English  translation  has  usu- 
ally been  reckoned  a  good  one,  but  has  been  severely  eri-. 
ticised  by  .  the  late  learned  Mr.  Whitaker  in  his  '^  Course 
of  Hannibal.*  .     ' 

POLYC  ARP,  an  apostolic  father  of  the  Christian  church, 
was  born  in  the  reign  of  Nero,  probably  at  Smyrna,  a  city 
of  Ionia  in  Asia  Minor,  where  be  was  educated  at  the  ex- 
penc^  of  Calisto,  a  noble  matron  of  great  piety  and  cha- 
rity. In  his  younger  years  he  is  said  to  be  instructed  i» 
the  Christian  faith  by  Bucolus,  bishop  of  that  plaice  :  h^t 
others  consider  it  as  certain  that  he  was  a  disciple  of  St« 
John  the  Evangelist,  and  familiarly  conversed  with  others 
of  the  apostles.  At  a  proper  age,  Bucolus  ordained  him  a 
deacon  and  catechist  of  his  church ;  and,  upon  the  death  of 
that  prelate,  he  succeeded  him  in  the  bishopric.  To  this 
he  was  consecrated  by  St,  John;  who  also,  according  to 
archbishop  Usher,  directed  his  "  Apocalyptical  Epistle,'* 
among  six  others,  to  him,  under  the  title  of  the  '^  Angel  of 
the  Church  of  Smyrna,"  where,  many  years  after  the 
apostle's  death,  he  was  also  visited  by  St.  Ignatius^ ,  Igua* 
tius  recommended  his  own  see  of  Antioch  to  the  care  aucI 
superintendance  of  Polycarp,  and  afterwards  sent  an  epistle 

■  >  Vossius  de  Hist.  Or»c.— Saxii  OMinasU— Oibdin**  Classics.  '    ' 


P  O  L  Y  C  A  R  p.  133 

to  the  church  of  Smyrna  from  Troas,  A.  C.  107;  wheri 
Polycarp  is  supposed  to  have  written  his  '^  Epistle  to  the 
Philippiaiis/'  a  translation  of  which  is  preserved  by  Dv. 
Cave. 

'   From  this  time,  for  many  years,  history  is  silent  concern- 
ing him,    till  some   unhappy   differences   in   the   churcli 
brought  him  into  general  notice.     It  happened,  that  the 
controversy  about  the  observation  of  Easter  began  to  grow 
very  virarm  between  the  eastern  and  western   churches; 
each  obstinately  insisting  \ipon  their  own  way,  and  justify- 
ing themselves  by  apostolical  practice  and  tradition.     To 
prevent  the  worst  consequences  of  this  contest,  Polycarp 
^ndertook  a  journey  to  Rome,  that  he  might  converse  with 
those  who  were  the  main  supports  and  champions  of  the 
opposite  party.     The  see  of  chat  capital  of  the  Roman  em- 
pire was  then  possessed  by  Anicetiis ;  and  many  confer- 
ences were  held  between  the  two  bishops,  each. of  them 
urging  apostolical  tradition  for  their  practice.     But  all  was 
managed  peaceably  and  amicably,  without  any  beat  of  con- 
tention ;  and,  though  neither  of  them  could  bring  the  other 
into  bis   opinion,  yet  they   retained  their  own  sentiments 
without  violating  that  charity  which  is  the  great  and  com- 
mon law  of  our  religion.  In  token  of  this,  they  communicated 
together  at  the  holy  sacrament ;    when  Anicetus,   to  do 
honour  to  Polycarp,  gave  him  leave  to  consecrate  the  eu- 
charistical  elements  in  his  own  church.^     This  done,  they 
parted  peaceably,  each  side  esteeming  this  difference  to  be 
merely  ritual,  and  no  ways  affecting  the  vitals  of  religion  ; 
but  the  dispute  continued  many  years  in  the  church,  was 
carried  on  with  great  animosity,  and  ended  at  length  in  a 
fixed  establishment,  which  remains  to  this  day,  of  ob$er.v« 
ing  Easter  on  different  days  in  the  two  churches:  for  the 
Asiatics   keep   Easter   on   the   next  Lord^s  day  after  the 
,Jewisb  passover,  and  the  church  of  Rome  the  next  Sunday 
'  after  the  first  full  moon  that  follows  the  vernal  equinox. 
-   During*  Polycarp's  stay  at  Rome,   he  employed  himself 
particularly  in  opposmg  the  heresies  of -Marcion  and  Va- 
lentious,  which  he  did  with  more  zeal  and  warmth  than  ori 
former  occasions.     Irenseus  tells  us,  that .  upon  Polycarp^ 
passing  Marcion  in  the  street  without  the  common  saluta^^ 
tion,  the  latter  called  out,  ^^  Polycarp,  own  us!'*  to  which 
the  former  replied,   with  indignation,  ^^  I  own  the^  to  be 
ihe  h^st-born  of  Satan.*'    To  this  the  same  author  adds^ 


I3i  P  O  L  Y  C  A  R  P. 

that,  when  any  heretical  doctrines  were  spoken  in  hit  pre-» 
aeooe^  be  would  presently  stop  bis  ears,  crying  out,  *^  Good 
God  I  to  what  limes  hast  thou  reserved  me,  that  I  should 
hear  such  things  !*'  and  immediately  quitted  the  place.  In 
the  same  zeal  he  was  Wont  to  tell,  that  St.  John,  going 
into  a  baUi  at  Ephesus,  and  finding  the  heretic  Cerinthos 
in  it,  started  back  instantly  without  bathing,  crying  out^ 
*^  Let  us  run  away,  lest  the  bath  should  £iUi  upon  us  while 
Clerintbus,  the  enemy  of  truth,  is  in  it."  Polyoitrp  governed 
the  cbui-ch  of  Smyrna  with  apostolic  purity,  till  be  suffered 
martyrdom  in  the  seventh  year  of  Marcus  Aureiius,  A.  C« 
167  ;  the  manner  of  which  is  thus  related  : 

The  persecution  growing  violent  at  Smyrna^  and  many 
baring  already  sealed  their  confession  with  their  blood,  tbe 
general  outcry  was,  ^^  Away  with  the  impious ;  let  Polyoarp 
be  sought  for."  .  On  this  he  withdrew  privately  into  a 
neighbouring  village,  where  he  lay  concealed  tor  some 
time,  continuing  night  and  day  in  prayer  for  the  peace  of 
tbe  choncxb.  He  was  thus  occupied,  when,  one  liigbt  falling 
into  a  irance,  he  dreamed  that  his  pillow  took  fire,  and  was 
burnt  to  ashes ;  which  he  told  his  friends  was  a  presage, 
that  be  should  be  burnt  alive  for  the  cause  of  Christ/  Three 
days  after  tfai^  dream,  in  order  to  escape  tbe  search  which 
was  carried  on  incessantly  after  him,  be  retired  into  ano* 
tber  village^  where  be  was  discovered,  although  some  say 
be  had  time  to  escape ;  but  he  refused  it,  saying,  '^Tbe 
will  of  the  Lord  he  done.''  Accordingly  be  saluted  his 
persecutors  with  a  cheerful  countenance ;  and,  ordering  a 
table  to  be  set  with  provisions,  invited  them  to  partake  of 
them,  only  requesting  for  himself  one  hour  for  prayer. 
This  being  over,  be  was  set  upon  an  ass,  and  conducted 
lowajrds  tbe  city.  Upon  the  road  he  was  met  by  Herod, 
aa  Ii'enarcb  or  justice  f^tbe  province,  and  bis  father,  who 
Vfive  the  principal  agents  in  this  persecution.  This  ma^ 
gistrate  taking  him  up  into  his  cbariot,  tried  to  undermine 
bis  constancy ;  and,  being  defeated  in  the  attempt,  ilirust 
ium  waA  of  the  chariot  with  so  much  violence,  that  he 
bruised  bis  thigh  with  the  fall.  On  his  arrival  at  tbe  plaoe 
gi  exeeution,  there  came,  as  is  said^  a  voice  6om  heaven,, 
saying,  ^^Polyeapp,  be  strong,  and  quit  thyself  like  a  mad." 
Being  brought  before  the  tribunal^  he  was  urged  to  sweat 
by  the  genius  of  Caesar.  ^<  Repeat,"  oontimies  the  pro-» 
i»naul«  ^^  ajad  say  with  us.  Take  aj^ay  the  impioua."  Qa 
this  the  martyr  looking  rouqd  the  stadium,  and  beholding 


r  a  L  Y  c  A  R  p.  Mf 

the  crowd  vritb  a  serere  and  angry  ooiinte&aiice>  beckoned 
vUb  bis  band,  and  looking  up  to  heaven,  said  with  a  sigby 
qaile.in  aootfaer  tone  than  they  intended,  ^<  Take  away  the 
tnpiotis.''  At  last,  confessing  bimself  to  be  a  Christian^ 
proriaamtien  was  made  thrice  of  bis  confession  by  the 
crier,  at  which  the  people  shouted,  ^^  This  is  the  great 
teaeher  of  Asia,  and  the  ftitber  of  the  Christians ;  this  is  the 
destroyer  of  our  gods,  that  teaches  men  not  to  do  sacrifiee^ 
Off  worship  the  deities.^'  The  fire  being  prepared^  Poly^ 
carp,  at  bis  own  request,  was  not,  as  usual,  nailed,  but  only 
tied  to  tbe  stake ;  and  after  pronouncing  a  short  prayer^ 
with  a  clear  and  audible  voice,  the  executioner  blew  up 
the  fire,  which  increasing  to  a  mighty  flame,  ^^  Behold  a 
wonder  seen,"  says  Eusebius,  *'  by  us  who  were  purposely 
reserved,  that  we  might  declare  it  to  others ;  the  flames 
disposing  themselves  into  the  resemblance  of.au  arch,  like 
the  sails  of  a  ship  swelled  with  the  wind,  gently  encircled 
tbe  body  of  the  martyr,  who  stood  all  the  while  in  the 
midst,  not  like  roasted  flesh,  but  like  tbe  gold  or  silver 
purified  in  die  furnace,  his  body  sendiog  forth  a  delightful 
fragrancy,  which,  like  frankincense,  or  some  other  costly 
spices,  presented  itself  to  our  senses.  The  infidels,  ezas- 
peratcul  by^  the  miracle,  comasanded  a  spearman  to  fun  him 
through  with  a  sword :  which  be  bad  no  sooner  done,  but 
such  a  vast  quantity  of  blood  flawed  from  the  wonnd,  as 
extinguished  tbe  fire ;  when  a  dove  was  seen  to  fly  froan 
the  wound,  which  some  suppose  to  have  been,  his  soul, 
cloathed  in  a  visible  shape  at  tbe  time  of  its  departuie^.'' 
Tbe  Christians  would  have  carried  off  his  body  entire^  but 
were  not  suflCered  by  the  Irenarcb,  who  commanded  it  to 
be  burnt  to  ashes.  The  bones,  however,  were  gathered 
«p,  and  decently  interred  by  tbe  Christians. 

Thus  died  this  apostolical  man,  as  supposed,  in  May 
167.  The  amphitheatre  whereon  he  suffered  waatemain*- 
ing  in  a  great  measure  not  many  years  ago,  and  his  tomb 
is  in  a  little  chapel  in  the  side  of  a  mountain,  on  the  south- 
east part  of  the  etty,  solemnly  visited  by  the  Greeks  on  his 
festival  day ;  and  for  the  maintenance  and  repairing  of  it, 
trnveliera  were  wont  to  throw  a  few  aspers  into  an  earthen 
pet  that  stands  there  for  tbe  purpose.    He  wrote  aome 

*  The  miraculoufl  part  of  this  ao-  in  its  faTour,  by  Jortin,  who  obserfM, 

fomt  ii  treaia^  with  ridicuW  by  Mid-  that  **  tba  dreaniitaocdi  art  anAclent 

dtetoo  in  bia  *<  Free  Enquiry,'*  and  to  ereate  a  p«iiae  and  a  do«iit«'*    Rat- 

Btfenof  of  it  9  bJit  somf thing  is  «fi^rdl  markf  m.Efd.  Hisi.  toI.  I. 


iSfi  P  6  L  Y  C  A  R  p. 

faomilies  and  epistles,  which  are  all  lost,  except  that  to  tha* 
^^  Philippians/'  which  is  a  pious  and  truly  Christian  piece, 
containing  short 'and  useful  precepts  and  rules  of  life,  and* 
which,  St.  Jerome  tells  us,  was  even  in  his  time  read  in. 
the  public  assemblies  of  the  Asian  churches.  -  It  is  among. 
archbishQp  Wake*s  ".  Genuine  Epistles  of  the  Apostolic 
Fathers,"  and  the  original  was  published  by  archbishop 
^Usher  in  164^8^  and  has  been  reprinted  -since  in  yariouft 
collections.'  [Wake  has  also  given  a  translation  of  the  ac»< 
count  of  Polycarp's  death,  written  in^  the  name  of  the 
church  of  Smyrna.]  It  is  .'  of  singular  use  in  proving  the 
authenticity  of  the  books  of  the  New  Testament ;  inasmuch 
asi  he  has  several  passages  and  expressions  from  Matthew, 
Luke,  the  Acts,  St.  PauPs  Epistles  to  the  Philippians^ 
iEphesians,  Galatians,  Corinthians,  Romans,  Thessalonians, 
Colossians,  1st  Timothy,  ]st  Epistle  of  St.  John,  and  1st 
of  Peter;  and  makes  particular  mention  of  St. Paul's  Epis^ 
tie  to  the  Ephesians.  Indeed,  his  whole  '^  Epistle"  consists 
of  phrases  and  sentiments  taken  from  the  New  Testament.^ 
/  POLYCLETUS,  a  famous  sculptor  of  antiquity,  was  a 
native  of  Sicyou,  and  flourished  about  the  year  430  B.  C. 
Weknowjiothing  of  his  history  but  from  incidental  notice 
of  himiin  Pliny.  His  Doryphorus,  one  of  his  figures,  for 
his  excellence  lay  in  single  figures,  :was  esteemed,  a  canon 
of  proportion  ;  we  read  also  of  the  statue  of  a  boy,  which 
was  estimated .  at  a  hundred  talents,,  or  perhaps  nearly 
50,000/.'  according  to.  our  mode  of  reckoning.  The  em- 
pesor  Titus  had  two  naked  boys  playing  at  a  game,  by  his 
Laiid,  which  was  considered  as  a  perfect  performance. 
Lysippus  the  painter  formed  bis  manner  on  the  study  of 
the  Doryphorus  of  this  artist.* 

POLYGNOTUS,  a  celebrated  painter  of  Thasos,  flou- 
rished about  422  B.^C.and.was  the  son  and  scholar  of  Ag- 
laophon.  He  particularly  dbtinguished  himself  by  a  series 
of  pictures,  including  the  principal  events  of  theTrojan 
war.  He  refused  the  presents  offered  him  by  the  Grecians 
.on  this  :occasion  ;.  which  so  pleased  the  Amphictyons,  who 
composed  the  general  council  of  Greece,  that  they,tbanked 
him  by  a  solenin  decree  ;  and  it  was  providediby  the  same 
decree,  that  this  skilful  painter  should  be  lodged  and  en- 
tertained, at  the  public  expence,  in'  every  town  through 

•  '  '  ■ 

1  Wake's  Genuine  Epistles.— Lardner's  Works.— Care.— Mi!ner*8  Ch.  Hist^ 
-wrSaxii  Onomast. 
9  Plioy,  XXXIV.  8.— FuselPs  Lectures^  Lecture  I. 


P  O  L  Y  G  N  O  T  U  S.  1S7 

^vhich  be  passed.  The  talents  of  Polygnotus  are  celebrated 
bj  many  of  the  best  authors  of  antiquity,  as  Aristotle  and* 
Piatarcb,  Dionysius  Halicarnassensisy  Pausanias,  bat  es*' 
pecialiy  Pliny,  whose  sentiments,  as  well  as  those  of  PaU- 
sanias,  are  criticised  by  Mr.  Fuseli  in  his  Lectures  on  Paint-* 
ing.'* '      • 

f  POMBAL  (Sebastian  Joseph  Carvalho),  marquis  of, 
a  famous  Portuguese  minister  of  state,  whom  the  Jesuits,' 
whose  banishment  he  pronounced,  have  defamed  by  all 
possible  means,  and  others  have  extolled  as  a  most  able 
statesman,  was  born  in  1 699,  in  the  territory  of  .Coim**^ 
bra;. a  robust  and  distinguished  figure  seemed  to  mark' 
hiip  for  the  profession  of  arms,  for  which,  after  a  short 
trial,  he  quitted  the  studies  of  his  native  university.  He 
found,  however,  a  still  readier  path  to  fortune,  by  jonar- 
rying,  lin  spite  of  opposition  from  her  relations.  Donna 
Teresa  de  Noronha  Almada,  a  lady  of  one  of  the  first  fami- 
lies in  Spain..  He  lost  her  in  1739,  and  being  sent  on  a 
secret  expedition  in  1745  to  Vienna,  he  again  was  fortu- 
nate.in  marriage,  by  obtaining  the  countess  of  Daun,  a  re- 
lation of  the  marshal  of.  that  name.  This  wife  became  a 
favourite  with  the  queen  of  Portugal,  who  interested  her- 
self to  obtain  an  appointment  for  Carvalho,  in  which,  how- 
ever, she  did.  not  succeed,  till  after  the  death  of  her  hus- 
band^ John  V.  in  1750.  Her  son  Joseph  gave  Carvalho  the 
appointment  of  secretary  for  foreign  affairs,  in  which  situa- 
tion he  completely  obtained  the  confidence  of  the  king. 
His  haughtiness,  as  well  as  some  of  his  measures,  created 
many  enemies ;  and  in  1758,  a  conspiracy  headed  by  the 
duke  d'Aveiro,  who  bad  been  the  favourite  of  John  V. 
broke  out  in  an  attempt  to  murder  the  king  as  he  returned 
from  his  castle  of  Belem.  The  plot  being  completely  dis-« 
covered,  the  conspirators  were,  punished,  not  only  severely 
but  cruelly ;  and  the  Jesuits  who  had  been  involved  in  it, 
were  banished  from  the  kingdom.  At  the  death  of  Joseph, 
in  1777,  Pombal  fell  into  disgrace,  and  many  of  the  persons 
connected  with  the  conspirators,  who  had  been  imprisoned 
fromi  the  time  of  the  discovery,  were  released.  The  ene.- 
mies  of  Pombal  did  not,  however,  succeed  in  exculpating 
the  principal  agents,  though  a  decree  was  passed  in  1781, 
to  declare  the  iunoceQceof  those  who  had  be^n  released 
from  prison.     Carvalho  was  banished  to  one  of  his  estates^ 

1  Pliny,  XXXIV.  S.^Faseli's  Lecturefi  XiCCtarel. 


135  P  O  M  B  A  L. 

vAiere  he-died  in  May  llS2y  in  his  eighty-fiftb  year.  Hia 
character,  as  was  mentiotied  above,  v?as  varioasiy  repr««^ 
sented,  but  it  was  generally  allowed  that  he  possessed  great 
abilities.  A  book  entitled  ^*  Memoirs  of  the  Marquu  of 
Pombal,''  was  published  at  Paris  in  1783,  in  four  volaiDe^ 
1 2ino,  but  it  is  not  esteemed  altogether  impartial.' 

POMET  (Peter),  born  April  2,  1658,  obtained  great 
wealth  in  the  profession  of  a  wholesale  druggist ;  and  being^ 
appointed  to  superintend  the  materia  medica  in  the  king*» 
gardens,  drew  up  a  catalogue  of  ail  the  articles  in  that  col-*- 
Section,  with  some  that  were  preserved  in  cabinets,  undar 
the  title  of  "  Histoire  generale  des  Drogues,"  folio,  which^ 
besides  passing  through  some  editions4n  the  original,  waa 
translated  into. English  in  1725„  4to.  He  died  Nov.  IS, 
1699,  in  his  forty-first  year,  and  the  very  day  that  the 
king  sent  him  an  order  for  a  pension.  His  work  was  re*- 
published  by  bis  son  in  17S5,  i9  two  volumes,  4to,  but  the 
engravings  in  this  edition  are  not  thought  so  good  as  m 
die  first.* 

POMEY  (Francis),  a  Jesuit,  most  known  for  his  <<  Pan^ 
tfaeum  mythicum,'*  of  which  his  French  biographers  assert 
that  an  **  Englishman,  named  Tooke,  gave  a  translation, 
prefixing  his  own  name,  without  that  of  the  author;''  and 
this  book  has  gone  through  a  vast  number  of  editions. 
He  died  at  Lyons,  in  1673,  at  an  advanced  age.  He  had 
been  employed  as  a  teacher  of  youth  in  that  city,  and  mosfr 
Ckf  his  works  are  formed  for  the  use  of  students.  They  con- 
tist  of,  a  large  dictionary,  since  superseded  by  that  of  Jou« 
bert;  a  small  ope  in  12mo,  entitled  *^FIqs  Latinitatis  ;'* 
*^  Indiculus  univers$ilis,"  a  kind  of  nomenclator ;  colloquies; 
a  treatise  on  particles ;  and  another  on  the  funerals  of  the 
anciepts;  with  a  work  on  rhetoric.  Pomey  was  well  versed 
ID  the  Latin  authors,  but  his  publications  would  have  been 
more  valuable  had  he  been  more  attentive  to  method  land 
exactness.' 

POMFRET  (JoHK),  an  English  poet,  was  son  of  Mr. 
Pomfret,  rector  of  Luton  in  Bedfordshire^  and  formerly  of 
Trinity  college,  Cambridge.  He  was  born  about  1667.  He 
was  edaeated  at  a  grammar-school  in  the  country,  and 
thence  sent  to  Queen's  college,  Cararbridge,  whe^e  he  took 
his  bachelor's  degree  in  1684,  and  that  of  master  in  1C98. 
He  then  went  iqto  orders,  and  was  presented  to  the  living 

}  Diet.  Hist,  t  tXvTf  IKok.  Hist  de  Mtdieiae.  *  Diet.  Hist; 


P  0  M  F  R  E  T.  139 

^  Mdden  in  Bedfordshire  Aboitt  170?,  be  qftvae  u^  to 
Lonileii  for  ioatitution  xq  »  li^rger  wA  v^ry  oontider&ble 
i'mn^ ;  hut  vas  9top|»ed  K»i9e  tim^  by  ComptoPy  then 
bishop  of  London*  on.  appouot  pf  tbes^  four  lifici  of  hi# 
poem  entitled  "The  Choice:" 

*^  And  IIS  I  xne^  approapb*d  the  vey]ge  of  life. 

Some  kind  relation  (for  1  *d  have  no  wif^) 

Should  take  upon  him  all  my  worldly  care^ 

While  I  did  for  a  better  state  prepare." 
The  parenthesis  in  these  lines  was  so  malicioasly  re- 
presented, that  the  good  bishop  was  made  to  believe  from 
it,  that  PomiVet  prefered  a  mistress  to  a  wife;  though  no 
such  meaning  pan  be  deduced,  unless  it  be  asserted,  tbs^t 
an  unmarried  clergyman  cannot  live  without  a  mistress. 
But  the  bishop  was  soon  convinced,  that  this  representation 
was  nothing  more  than  the  effect  of  ms^lice,  as  Pomfret  at 
that  time  was  actually  married.  .  The  opposition,  however, 
which  his  slanderers  had  given  him,  was  not  without  effect; 
for,  being  obliged  on  this  occasion  to  s<ay  in  London  longer 
than  he  intended,  he  caught  the  small-pox,  and  died  of  it, 
in  1703,  aged  thirty- five. 

A  volume  of  his  poems  was  published  by  himself  in 
1699,  with  a  very  modest  and  sen&ible  preface.  Two 
pieces  of  his  were  published  after  his  death  by  a  fi*iend 
under  the  name  of  Philalethes  ;  one  called  "  Reason,'*  and 
^written  in  1700,  when  the  disputes  about  the  Trinity  ran 
high  ;  the  other,  " Dies  Novissima,'*  or,  "The  Last  Epi- 
phany,''  a  Pindaric  ode.  His  versification  is  sometimes 
not  unmusical ;  but  there  is  not  the  force  in  his  writing^ 
which  is  necessary  to  constitute  a  poet.  A  dissenting 
teacher  of  his  name,  and  who  published  some  rhimes  upon 
spiritual  subjects,  occasioned  fanaticisdd  to  be  imputed  to 
him;  but  from  this  his  friend  Philalethes  has  justly  cleared 
Tiim„  Pomfret  had  a  very  strong  mixture  of  devotion  in 
him,  but  no  fanaticism. 

"  The  Choice,'*  says  Dr.  Jolmson,  '*  exhibits  a  system  of 
life  adapted  to  common  uotions,  and  equal  to  common  ex* 
pectatibns  ;  such  a  state  as  affords  plenty  and  tranquillity, 
without  exclusion  of  intellectual  pleasures.  Perhaps  no 
composition  in  pur  language  has  been  oftener  perused  than 
Pomfret's  *  Choice.*  in  his  other  poems  there  is  an  easy 
volubility ;  the  pleasure  of  smooth  metre  is  afforded  tq  tbe 
'Mr,  and  the  mind  is  not  oppressed  with  ponderous,  oi^  en- 
tangled wit;h  intri^SLt^  s^tio^qnt.  He  pleasea  many,  apd 
he  who.  pleases  many  must  have  merit,*' 


140  P  O  M  F  R  E  T. 

'  His  son,  Jo)aN,  had  the  office  of  Rouge-croix  in  the  be*^ 
raids'  c^ce^  and  wrote  some  satirical  verses  on  the  removal 
of  the  family  portraits  of  the  Howards  from  the  hall  of  the 
heralds'  college  to  Arundel  castle.  '  He  died  March  24, 
1751,  aged  forty-nine.* 

POMMERAYE  (Dom.  John  Francis),  a  laborious  Be- 
nedictine of  the  congregation  de  St.  Maur,  was  born  in 
1617,  at  Rouen.  After  a  suitable  education,  he  refused 
all  offices  in  his  order,  that  he  might  devote  himself  wholly 
to  study.  He  died  of  an  apoplexy  at  the  house  of  the 
learned  M.  Bulreau,  to  whom  he  was  paying  a  visit,  Oct. 
28,  1687,  aged  seventy.  His  works  are,  '^  L'Histoire  de 
FAbbayede  S.  Ouen  de  Rouen,  folio;  and  a  "history,  of 
the  Archbishops  of  Rouen,^'  folio,  which  is  his  best  work. 
He  published  also  a  "  Collection  of  the  Councils  and 
Synods  of  Rouen,"  4to;  "  L'Histoire  de  la  Cath6drale  de 
Rouen,"  4to;  "  Pratique  journaliere  de  I'Aumone,"  a  small 
took,  exhorting  to  give  alms  to  those  who  beg  for  the  poor. 
This  Benedictine's  works  are  not  written  in  a  pleasing  style, 
nor  are  they  every  where  accurate,  but  they  contain  many 
curious  observations." 

POMPADOUR  (Jane,  Antoinette,  Poisson,)  mar- 
chioness of,  the  celebrated  mistress  of  Louis  XV.  was  the 
daughter  of  a.  financier,  and  early  distinguished  by  the 
beauty  of  her  person,  and  the  elegance  of  her  talents. 
She  was  married  to  a  M.  d'Etioles  when  she  attracted  the 
notice  of  the  king,  and  becoming  his  mistress,  was  created 
marchioness  of  Pompadour  in  1745.  Her  credit  was  abun- 
dant, and  she  employed  it  chiefly  in  the  patronage  of  ta- 
lents, in  all  branches  of  the  polite  arts.  She  collected  alsp 
a  cabinet  of  books,  pictures,  and  various  curiosities.  She 
died  in  1764,  at  the  age  of  forty-four;  and,  it  is  said,  with 
much  more  resignation  than  could  have  been  expected  of  a 
person  so  little  advanced  in  years,  and  so  situated.  Two 
spurious  works  have  been  attributed  to  her  since  lier  death, 
the  one,  a  set  of  "  Memoirs,"  in  two  volumes,  Svo ;  the 
other,  a  collection  of  "  Letters,"  in  three  volumes,  which 
have  at  least  the  merit  of  painting  her  character  with  skill. 
The  memoirs  attribute  to  her,  in  conformity  with  the  po- 
pular ideas,  much  more  influence  than  she  actually  pos- 
sessed.' . 

^  Johnson's  Livea.— -Gibber's  Lives.— Cole's  MS  Atbeoae  in  Brit,  Mtis.-^ 
Noble's  College  of  Arms. 
*  Moreri.— Diet.  Hist.  »  Diet.  Hist,  in  art.  Poisson. 


P  O  M  P  E  I.  141 

POMPEI  (Jerome),  an  Italian  poet  and  a  man  of  let-' 
ters,  was  born  of  a  noble  family  at  Verona  in  1731.     He 
became  an  early  proficient  in  classical  literature,  particu* 
larly  the  Greek,  of  which  he  was  enthusiastically  fond,  and 
attained  an  excellent  style.     At  this  period  the  marquis 
Maffei  and  other  eminent  literary  characters  were  residerit 
at  Verona,  in  whose  society  the  talents  of  Pompei  received 
the  most  advantageous  cultivation.     He  was  first  known  as 
an  author  by  "<3anzoni  Pastorali,"  in  two  vols.  8vo.    Able 
critics  spoke  in  the  highest  terms  of  these  pieces,  on  ac« 
count  of  their  sweetness  and  elegance  :  it  was  thought  by 
some  good  judges  that  they  were  never  surpassed  by  any 
productions  of  the  kind.     He  next  translated  some  of  the 
Idylls  of  Theocritus  and  Moschus,  in  which  he  exhibited  a 
very  happy  selection  of  Italian  words,  corresponding  with 
the  Greek.     The  next  object  of  his  attention  was  dramatic 
poetry,  in  the  higher  departments  of  which  the  Italians 
were  at  that  time  very  deficient,  and  he  published  in  1768 
and  1770,  his  tragedies  of  "  Hypermestra"  and  "Calli- 
rhoe,^'  which  were  represented  with  great  success  in  several 
cities  of  the  Venetian  state.     He  now  employed  several 
years  on  a  translation  of  "  Plutarch's  Lives,"  which  ap- 
peared in  1774  in  four  vols.  4 to.     This  work  gave  him  con- 
siderable reputation  as  a  prose  writer  and  scholar,  and  it 
ranks  among  the  very  best  classical  versions  in  the  Italian 
language.    In  1778  he  published  two  volumes  of  "  Nuove 
Ganzoni  Pastorali :"  he  also  published  poetical  versions  of 
the  *'  Hero  and  Leailder  of  Musaeus;"  of  the  "  Hymns  of 
Callimachus ;"   "A  hundred  Greek  Epigrams;"  and  the 
"  Epistles  of  Ovid."     He  was  a  member  of  some  of  the 
academies,,  and  he  served  his  native  city  in  the  capacities 
of  secretary  to  the  tribunal  of  public  safety,  and  to  the 
acadenay  of  painting.     He  died  at  Verona  in  1790,  at  the 
age  of  fiftyruine,  and  his  memory  was  honoured  by  various 
public  testimonies,  and  by  the  erection  of  bis  bust  in  6ne 
of  the  squares  of  the  city.     He  was  highly  respected  and 
esteemed,  as  well  for  his  morals  as  for  his  literary  taleuts, 
and  his  fame  was  not  limited  to  the  confines  of  Italy.     An 
edition  of  his  works  was  published  after  his  death  in  six 

vols.  SVO.'  J      .  .  :  ' 

POMPEY,  or  P0MPEIUS  (Cnbius),  surnamed  Mag- 
Rus,  ot  the  Greaty  was  of  a  noble  Roman  family,  the  son 

,  *  •  ■  ft  ' 

*  F^brooi  Vitae  ItalQruaii  vol.  XV, — Athenaeum,  vol.  IV, 


H2  P  O  M  P  E  Y. 

of  Po^peiQs  Strabo,  and  Lticiii«.  Me  was  born  I&6  daine 
year  with  Cicero^  but  nine  motilhs  iater^  fiameijF,  tn.ebe 
consulship  of  Cepio  and  Seaanusi  106  years  before,  the 
Christian  si'a.  His  father  wasa  general  of  great  abilities^ 
and  under  bioi  be  learned  the  art  of  war.  When  be  was 
only  twenty-three  be  raised  three  legions,  which  be  led  to 
Sylla.  Three  years  after^  be  drove  the  oppooents  of  8yUa 
froBi  Africa  And  Sicily.  Young  as  be  was»  be  bad  already 
won  the  soldiers  sufficiently,  by  his  miidDdss*  and  military^ 
talentSi  to  e Jccite  the  jealousy  of  Sylla,  who  therefore  re^ 
called  hinti  to  Rdooe*  His  sbldiers  would  have  detained 
biiB  in  spite  of  the  dicDator'a  orders^  but  he  obeyed,  and 
was  rewarded  on  his  arrival  by  the  name  of  Magnus,  given 
him  by  Sylla,  and  soon  after  eonfirmed  unantniously  by  hi^ 
countrymen.  He  obtained  also  the  honours  of  a  triumph^ 
which  the  dictator  permitted  raliber  unwillingly,  and  was 
the  first  instance  of  a  Roman  kmgbt,-  who.  had  not  risen  to 
any  magistracy,  being  advanced  to  that  elevation.  Tbia 
was  in  8 1  B^  C.  In  a  short  time,,  be  had  obtuoled  as  moob 
power  by  the  voluntary  favour  of  the  people,  as  Sylla  hod 
i>efo«e  by  arms :  and  aftef  the  death  of  tlMt  extraordinary 
man,  obligefd  Lepidus  to  quit  Rome^  and  then  unidertook 
the  warngaittst  Sertoriild  in  Spaib,  which  be  .brought  to  i» 
fOrtuuate  conclusion*  For  this  victory  he  triumphed  a  se^ 
eodd  time,  B.  C.  73,  being  still  only  in  the  rank  of  a  kni^bt; 
Not  long  afterwards  he  w^  chosen  consuh.  In  that  office 
be  re- established  the  power  of  the  tribunes;  ^lidL,  in  the 
eourse  of  a  few  years,  ext^fmiinated  the  pirates  who  in-f. 
fested  the  Mediterra^eiln^  gained  great  advaititages  against 
Tlgfanes  and  Mitbridates,  and  carried  bis.  victorious  arms 
into  Media,  Albania,  Iberia^  and  the  most  important  parts 
of  Asia ;  and  so  extended  the  boundaries  of  the  Roman 
empire,  that  Asia  Minor,:  which  before  formed  the  extre^ 
mity  of  M  provinc^es,  now  became,  in  a  manner,  the  centre 
of  tbem.  When  he  returned  to  receive  a  triumph  for  these 
victories,  he  courted  popularity  by  dismissing  his  troops 
and  entering  the  city  as  a  private  citizen.  He  triumpbed 
with  great  splendour ;  but  not  feeling  his  influence  such  as 
be  bad  hoped,  he  united  witb  Gaosar  and  Grassus  to  form 
the  first  triumvirate.  He  strengthened  his  utiion  with 
CaeMr  by  marrying  bis  daiigbter  Julia ;  be  was  destined 
nevertheless  to  find  in  Csesar  not  a  friend,  but  too  auccessi* 
ful  a  rival.  While  Caesar  was  gaining  in  his  long  Gallic 
wars  a  fame  and  a  power  that  were  soon  to  be  invincible, 


P  0  M  P  £  Y.  143 

Pompey  was  eadeavonriilg  to  cultivate  his  poptiUtrity  and 
inflaeDce  in  Rome.  Ere  long  tbey  took  directly  contrary 
pai^es.  Pompey  became  the  hope  and  the  support  of  the 
patrtoiaos  and  tbe  senate^  while  C»sar  was  the  idol  of  the 
people.  On  the  retam  of  the  latter  from  Gaul,  in  the 
year  51  A.  C.  the  civil  war  broke  out^  which  terminated^ 
as  is  well  known,  by  tbe  defeat  of  Pompey  in  the  battle  of 
Pharsalia,  A.  C.  '49.  and  the  base  assassination  of  him  by 
the  officers  of  Ptolemy  in  Egypt.  It  appears  that  Pompey 
had  not  less  ambition  than  Csssar,  but  was  either  more 
acrapuions,  or  less  sagacious  and  fortunate  in  his  choice  of 
means  to  gratify  that  passion.  He  was  unwilling  to  throw 
off  the  mask  of  virtue  and  moderation,  and  hoped  to  gatft: 
every  thing  by  intrigue  and  tbe  appearance  of  transcendanfi 
iDerit.  In  this  he  might  have  beeA  successful,  had  he  not 
been  opposed  to  a  man  whose  prompt  and  decisive  mea*-» 
sures  disconcerted  his  secret  plans,  drove  things  at  once  to^ 
extremities,  and  forced  him  to  have  recourse  to  the  deci-> 
aion  of  arms,  in  which  victory  declared  against  him.  Tbe 
moderate  men,  and  those  who  were  sincerely  attached  to 
tbe  repuUie  of  Rome,  dreaded,  almost  equally,  the  succes9 
of  Pompey  and  of  C»sar.  Cato^  who  took  the  mourning 
habit  on  the  breaking  out  of  the  civil  war,  had  resolved 
upon  death  if  Csesar  should  be  victorious,  and  exile  if  suc-> 
<sess  should  declare  for  Pompey.* 

POMPiONAN  (John  James  le  Franc),  marquis  of,  a 
French  nobleman,  still  more  distinguished  by  his  talents  in 
poetry  than  by  bis  rank,  was  born  at  Montauban  in  1709. 
He  was  educated  for  tbe  magistracy,  and  became  advocate'*> 
general,  and  first  president  of  the  court  of  aids  at  Mont- 
auban* liis  indination  for  poetry,  however,  could  not  be 
repressed,  and  at  tbe  age  of  twenty- five  be  produced  his 
tragedy  of  ^  Dido,"  in  which  he  approved  himself  ^  not  only 
one  of  the  most  successful  imitators  of  Racine,  but  an  able 
and  elegant  poet.  After  this  success  at  Paris,  he  returned 
to  his  duties  at  Montauban,  which  he  fulfilled  in  the  most 
nprigbt  manner ;  bat  having  suflFered  a  short  exile,  on  ac« 
coimt  of  some  step  which  displeased  the  court,  he  became 
digosted  with  the  office  of  a  magistrate.  As  he  bad  row 
|ilsa  increased  his  foftune  by  an  advantageous  matriage,  he 
^eteMttined  to  remove  to  Paris,  where  at  first  he  was  re- 
ceived as  his  virtues -and  his  talents  deserved.     His  sincere 

1  Plntarob.—  RoBaaii^liitorj. 


144  1»  O  M  P  I  G  N  A  N. 

attachment  to  Christianity  brought  upon  hixn  a  perseetttion 
from. the  philosophiste,  which,  after  a.time,  drove  him 
back  to  the  country. .  Voltaire  and  his  associates  had  now 
inundated  France  with  their  deistical  tracts;  the  mate* 
rialism  of  Helvetius  in  his  book,  de  PEsprit,  had  just  beea 
brought  forward  in  the  most  triuoiphani  manner ;  the  ene- 
mies of  Christianity  had  filled  the  Enct/clopBdie  with  the. 
poison  of  their  opinions,  and  had  by  their  intrigues  formed 
a  powerful  party  in  the  French  academy,  when  the  mar- 
quis of  Pompignan  was  admitted  as  an  academician,.. in 
1760.  He  had  the  courage,  at  his  admission,  to  .pronounce 
a  discourse,  the  object,  of  which  was  to  prove  that  the  man 
of  virtue  and  religion  is  the  only  true  philosopher.  Froin 
this  moment  he  was  the  object  of  perpetual  persecution «r 
Voltaire  and  his  associates  were  indefatigable  in.  poarmg 
out  satires  against  him  :  his  religion  was  called  hypocrisy^ 
and  his  public  declaration  in  its  favour  an  attempt  to  gain 
the  patronage  of  certain  leading  men.  These  accusations^ 
as  unjust  as  they  were  illiberal,  mingled  with  every. species 
of  sarcastic  wit,  had  the  effect  of  digusting  the  worthy  mar-, 
quis  with  Paris.  He  retired  to  his  estate  of  Pompignan^ 
where  he  passed  the  remainder  ofhis  days  in  the  practice  of 
a  true  philosophy,  accojnpanied  by  sincere  piety,;  and  died 
of.  an  apoplexy  in  1784,  at  the  agie  of  seventy-five,  most 
deeply  regretted  by  his  neighbours,  and  dependents.  The 
shameful  treatment  of  this  excellent  man,  by  the  sect 
which  then  reigned  in  the. academy,  is  a  strong  illustration 
of  that,  conspiracy  against  religion,  so  ably  detailed  by  M. 
Barruely  in  the  first  volume  of  his  Memoirs  of  Jacobinism. 
V^henonce  he  had  declared  himself  a  zealous  Christilan  no. 
merit  was  allowed  him,  nor  any  effort  spared  to  overwheltn 
him  with  disgrace  and  mortification.  His  compositions  ne^ 
vertheless  were,  and  are,  esteemed  by. impartial  judges. 
His  "  Sacred  Odes,"  notwithstanding  the  sarcasm  of  Vol- 
taire, ^^  sacred  they  are,  for  no  one  touches  them."  abooiul 
in  poetical  spirit,  and  lyric  beauties ;  though  it  is  con- 
fessed also  that  they  have  their  inequalities..  His^^Dls* 
courses  imitated,,  from  the  books  of  Solomon,"  contain 
important  moral  truths,  delivered  with  elegance^  and 
frequently  with  energy..  His  imitation  of  the  Georgics  of 
Virgil,  though  inferior  to  that  of  the  abb^  De  Lille  (iwhose 
versification  is  the  richest  and  most  energetic  of  modem 
French  writers),  has  yet  considerable  merit :  and  His 
**  Voyage  de  Languedoc,"  though  not  equal,  in  easy  and 


OMPIGVAMl  us 

Unify  nagB^ncd  to  that  of  ChipeHa,  is'  cAfierioe  in  «lb* 
ginee,  toi^wtness^  and  Taiiety.  He  wrote  ai«o  soaM' 
(^ras  which  werginot  acted ;  and  a  conMdjr  io  Terae,.  ih^ 
dhe  act,  catted  -^^  Lea  Adieux  de  Man,''  which  waa  repve* 
seMedl  wiih  soccesB  at  the  Italian  comic  tbealve  in  FWitw 
'the  HMUNjOid  of  Pompignaii  was  distiDguisbed  abo  as  a  wvh 
1^  iti  prode.  His  ^^  Euit^inm  on  the  Dake  of  Bnngiindy,^^ 
18. written  with  an  affecting  sioiplioity.  His  <<i)iaKirta« 
tba^i'*  his  ^'  Letter  to  the  younger  Racine,^'  and  his  <<  Aca- 
demical DiscouFses/'  all  prove  a  soond  judgaient,  a  eomct- 
taste^  and  a-  genins  improved  bj  careful  stwiy  of  the  elassie 
models.  He  produced  also  a  ^'  Translation  of  some  dia^ 
l^l^lefi  6t  Ltdcian/*  and  some  '^Tragedies  of  JSschylus,'* 
vi^ich  am  very  general^  esteemed.  He  was  allowed  ta 
be  cmaa  of  vast  literature,  and  almost  universal  knofsfedge 
in  the  ine  mKs.  Yet  sncfa  a  man  was  to  be  ilJU treated^  and 
orotbed  if  possible,  because  he  had  the  ^rtoe  to  declare 
^liaMelf  a  paftiaan  cKf  religion*  .  Even  his  enemies,  arid  th# 
most  indexible  of  them,  Vokaiffe,  were  unable  tp  deny  the 
mevit  of  some  of  his  poettcal  compositions.  The  following 
stanza  in  particoUr,  ifi  ^<  An  Ode  on  the  Death  pf  Rous<r 
seaoj"  obtained  a  triumph  for  him  in  defiance  of  prejudice. 
The  intwfttion  seems  to  be  to  illustrate  the  vMxity  of  those 
who  speak  against  religion  : 

'  ^LeNila  vii  ser'sa^rivi^eff 
.       V  Be  noifs  hibltans  das  deserts 
InnUler  par  teiurs  (^  8«iivag«s 
L*Astre&]at^t  4e  ruQivers, 
Cris  impiijfgflans !  fuiyuys  bizarrgs ! 
Tandis  que  ces  moiistres  barbares 
Poussoient  d'insoleutes  claxpeurs, 
Le  IMeu^  poursuivaht  sa  carriere^ 
Venelt  des  torrens  de  lumieitt 


t» 


Sur  ses  otacaia  btanpb^matenrs 

"  Thus  on  the  bofdera  of  the  Nile,  the  black  inhabitants 
inseU  by  their  swage  eries  the  ^r  of  day.  Vain  qries^ 
and  capnoious'liiry !  Bot  whiie  these  barbarous  moinsteva 
send' up  their  insolent  chunonr^  4be  God,  purs«ing  hia 
oareer,  poura  floods  of  light  upon  his  dusky  blaspbeipeFs*?* 
*^^l  have  chardiy  ev<«r  seen,^'  says  M/ la  Harpey  !^|ii^ 
gaaadiar  idea,  ^presseii^  by  a  more  noMe  unagi^,  nor  wilk 
a  4bore  imprisssive  h|«mony  of  fengai^ge.  I  racitei^  the^ 
pesiBg#  one  day  toVfdtacfe,  who  aokaowledged  tb%t  it. 
united  all  the  qualities  of  the  subliipe ;  and^  when  I  named 
the  ajtithor,  still  praised  it  more.** 

Vol.  XXV.  L 


146  P  O  M  P  I  G  N  A  N. 

The  marquis's  brother,  John  Georgk  Le  Franc,  a  pre-*' 
late  of  great  merit,  waa  ^archbishop  of  Vienne,  and  like 
him  combated  the  principles  .  of  the .  philosophists.,  .He 
wrote  various  caatrbversialand  devotional  works,  and  some, 
of  another  description,  asf  "A. Critical  Essay  on  the  p^e-. 
sent  State  of  the  Republic  of  Letters,"  1743  ;  "  Pastoral 
Instructions  for  the  Benefit  of  the  new  CoBverts  within  bia 
Diocese  j  "  Devotion  not  at, enmity  wiUi  Wit  and  Genius.;" 
^.<  Mandates  prohibiting  the  Reading  of  the  Works  of  Rous-*^ 
seau  and  tbe  Abbd  Raynal;."  He  died,  in  1 7  90,  soon  after 
the  revolution  had  begun  its  destructive  work,  which  be  ia 
vain  endeavoured  to  resist.  ^  .  >.  , 

'  POMPONATIUS  (Peter),  a  modem  Aristotelian,  wa^ 
born  at  Mantua  tn  1462.  He  d^ivered  lectures  on^  the 
philosophy  of  Aristotle  and  Averroes  at  Padva  and  Bologna^ 
where  his  eloquence  and  talents  procured  hi|n  many  audi- 
tors. He  was  at  Bologna  when  he  composed  .bis  cele-. 
brated  little  treatise  ^^  De  immortalitate  Anim»,''  in  whkh. 
he  was  supposed  to  call  in  question  the  immortality  .of  .the 
soul,  at  least  he  maintained  that  all  natural  reason  waa 
s^ainst  it,  but  rev^tion  for  it,  and  upon  the  latter  account 
be  believed  it  It  is  probable,  however,  that  the  iatpves- 
sion  it  made  on  the  public  mind  was  not  very  favourable  to 
the  received  opinions,  as  pope  Leo  X.  thought  itnecessaiy 
to  suppress  the  work  by  a  bull ;  and  it  was  at  his  request 
that  Augustine  Nipbus  wrote  a  treatise  with  the  same  title, 
^*  De  immortalitate  Animae,^'  in  which  he  undertook  to 
prove  that  this,  doctrine  kr  not  contrary  to  the  principles  of 
the  Aristotelian  philosophy.  Some  time  after,  Pompona- 
tius's  opinions  were  referred  to  tbe  arbitration  of  Bembus, 
who  endeavour^  to  justify  him,  and  succeeded  so  far  as  to 
obtain  permission  for  him  to  issue  a  second  edition  of  the 
work,  as  well  as  to  save  the  author  from  the  vengeance 
of  the  church.  Brucker  is  of  opinion  that  notwithstanding 
Pomponatius's.  pretences,  he  had  more  respect  for  the  au-r. 
thority  of  Aristotle,  than  for  that  of  Jesus  Christ.  Ho 
addsj  that  though  much  addicted  to  superstitioQ  and  fana:- 
ticism,  and  a  zealous  advocate  for  judicial  astrology,  qs 
appears  from  his  book  .<<  De  Incantatioi;iibus,^'  ^^  On  £a*- 
<jiantmeats,"  be  had  an  understanding  capajl>le  of  peoe- 
.traling  into  the  depths  of  the  Peripatetic  system,  in  ihe 
study  of  which  he  chiefly  followed,  tbe  coikmeiuariea  o£ 

1  Dwt  Hist. 


POMPON  ATI  U  S.  147 

Afdirodisflens.  His  writings^  though  barbaroifs  und  .inele-* 
gant  in  style,  discover  great  acuteoew  and  s^^btlety  of 
thought/  He  also  wrote  a  treatise  on  ^*  Fate  and  Free  will.'* 
He  died  in  1525.  He  had  many  followers  of  great  cele- 
brity; among  whom  were  Simon  Porta,  Julius  Caesar  Sea* 
]iger,  and  Lazarus  Bonamicus.  Vanini,  the  Atheist,  is 
said  by  some  to  have  been  his  pupil ;  but  this  is  impossible, 
for  Pomponatius  died  in  the  year  1525,  and  Vanini  was  not 
born  till  the  year  1586.  .        . 

The  first  edition  of  Pomponatius  '^  De  Immortalitatej"  a 
copy  of  which  is  in  Mr.  Gressweirs  possession^  is  without 
date ;  but  the  colophon  informs  us,  that  the  author  com- 
pleted it  in  1516.  The  first  with  a  date,  and  along  with 
bis  other  tracts,  is  that  of  Venice  1525,  folio ;  the  second, 
of  the  <<  De  immortalitate''  only,  is  that  of  1534,  12mo.^ 

POMPONIUS  MELA.     See  MELA. 

POMPONIU8  LJETUS  (Julius),   an  eminent  Italian 
antiquary,  all  whose  names  were  of  his.  own  choice,  was 
the  illegitimate  offspring  of  the  illustrious  house  of  Sanse- 
verino,  in  the  kingdom  of  Naples;  but  this  was  a  circum* 
•stance  on  which  he  preserved  an  inflexible  silence^  and  ad- 
intued  no  conversation  or  questions  on  the  subject.     Evjen 
•  when  that  family  sent  him  an  invitation  to  reside  with  them, 
he  rejected  it  by  a  laconic  note  which  is  preserved  by  Tira«- 
boschi :  '^  Pomponius  Lsetus  cognati^  et  propinquis  suis 
-salutem.     Quod  petitis  fieri  non  potest.  Valete.''     *^  Pom- 
ponius LsBtus  to  his  kinsmen  and  relations  :  what  you  ask 
'camiot  be'  granted.     Farewell."     He  went  young  to  Rome, 
where  be  studied  first  undei:  a  very  able  grammarian  of  that 
time,  Pietro'da  Monopoli,  and  afterwards  under  Laurentius 
Valla.     On  the  death  of  this  eminent  scholar  in  1457,  he 
was  thought  qualified  to  succeed  him  in  his  professorship. 
He  now  began  to  found  an  academy,  the  members  of  which 
.were  men  of  letters,  fond  of  antiquary  researches,  like  him- 
self, but  who  sometimes  entered  upon  philosophical  dis- 
.  f  nssions*     They  were  mostly  young  men,  and  in  their  zeal 
lor  past  times^  the  glorious  days  of  Rome,  adopted  La- 
tinized names.    Our  author  took  that  of  Pomponius .  Lsetus, 
%nd  Buonaccorsi  that  of  Callimachus  Experiens,  j^c.     In 
fhmr  philosophical  discussions,  they  went  so  far  as  to  com- 
pare ancient  with  modern  institutions,  not  much  to  the 
-  credit  of  the  latter ;  and  at  length  this  was  represented  to 

1  Gen.    Diet.-^BracKer.-*Niceroii,  toY.  XXV.--Grefltwta*f  PolitmA.— And 
'  Rowoe**  Leo,  obi  plara. 

L2 


i  a  p  0  Tn  p  o  :n  I  D  6. 

ptpe  ^anl  IL  (whom  we  ham  recently  noticed. as  die  fierse* 
tUtot  of  Platiaa)  first  as  inferring  a  contempt  for  reUgion  ; 
secondly,  as  an  attack  on  die  chnrch ;  and  hsdy,  as  a  eoo- 
apiracy  against  the  pope  hinsself.  The  pope,  either  really 
wrmedy  or  pretending  to  be  so,  ordered  all  the  nepuben 
of  Ae  academy  to  be  arrested^  that  could  be  found,  andl 
imprisoned  and  put  them  to  the  torture,  of  which  one  rerj- 
pfonri^ing  young  acholiir  died :  and  although  Pomponias 
was  at  this  time  (1468)  at  Venice,  and  had  been  indeed 
residing  for  three  years  with  the  Ccnrnaro  family,  he  was 
-dragged  in  chains  to  Rone,  and  ihaned  the  same  horriUe 
ftte  as  his  fellow  «cademiciaiis ;  and  akhoagh,  a6er  varioiiflt 
^xatnioadons,  conducted  by  the  pope  himself,  no  proof  of 
giSHt  appeared,  he  and  ins  eocnpamons  remained  in  con- 
finement a  very  considerable  time.  The  death  of  thm 
persecutor,  however,  restored  them  to  liberty,  and  it  ^was 
«K>  inconsiderable  testimony  4|f  dieir  innocence  that  his  suc- 
cessor Siztus  IV.  equally  strict  in  matters  of  hereay,  made 
Platina  librarian  of  the  Vatican,  and  restored  Pomponiusto 
ills  professorship,  in  which  office  he  continued  to  draw  a 
great  concourse  of  scholars.  He  also  endeavoured  to  revive 
his  academy,  against  which  Paul  II.  had  been  so  inveterate 
^at  he  forbid  its  name  to  be  mentioned  eilberin  jest  or 
earnest,  *<  vel  serio  vol  jooo,*'  and  we  find  two  grand  com- 
'memorations  held  by  the  menbera,  in  1482  abd  1483 ;  the 
one  on  account  of  Ibe  death  of  Platina,  the  oiher  to  cele- 
%nite  the  foundatim  of  Rome. 

Pomponius  was  never  rich,  hut  it  is  a  Hustafce  that  be 
died  in  an  hospital.    In  1484,  during  a  public  cofl(»mo- 
tion,  his  library  and  goods  were  destroyed ;  but  the  loss 
'was  soon  made  up  by  bis  friends  and  scholars,  so  that  at 
last  his  homse  waa  better  furnished  than  before.     He  was 
-indeed  universally  esteemed  for  the  ptobity,  simplicity,  and 
'even  the  eccasiooal  harshness  of  his  manners.     He  died  at 
Rome  in  149S,  ^nArnM  interred  with  honourable  solemnity^ 
He  wrote  some  woA<^  illustrative  of  the  manners,  customs, 
-and  laws  of  the  Eoman  republic,  and  the  state  of  ancient 
%ome.    These  are,  treatises  on  the  priesthood,  the  magis- 
trates, the  lawsy  an  abridgment  of  die  history  of  the  em- 
'perors,  ftom  the  death  of.  the  younger  Gordianus  to  the 
•  etile  of  Justin  III,  all  whi<5h  sh^w  great  research  and  eriy- 
^ 'ditien.    He  also  was  a  commentator  pn  some  ancient  au « 
:  ibfiQ ;  hp.  corrected/or  the  press  the  fiot  edition  pf  Sall^ist, 
and  collated  it  with  some  ant  lent  MSS.  althougb  his  name 


P  O  M  P  D  N  I  U  B.  1«9I 

II  tiot  teefixtioned  by  our  bibUograpfaen. .  He  extended  Iha 
sftiae  caore  to  thvuporiu  o€  ColaBaftlla,.  Yarro^  Nonius  fila^«« 
cdlta^  Plitty  the  younger,  and  wrote  iMtet  on  QntndHaiii 
aftd  Virgil.  His  own  worb.  were  collected  in  one  toL  ftvo^ 
▼ery*  rdre^  printed  at  Ments,  1 5S launder  the  title  ^  Opera 
Pofii^onii  Lesti  varia.'"^ 

PONTANUS  tJoHN  Jo^i^N),  a  very  learned  Itidian^ 
was  bom  at  Cerreto,  ki  Umbria,  in  1 42(1,  and  settled  at 
Nkiptesj  where  bis  merit  procured  bim  iliustrioiis  friends^ 
He  'becsroie  preceptor  to  Alplionsa  the  youi^er,  kin^  of 
Arragon,  to  whooi'  he  was  afterwards  secretary  and  coini'^ 
sellor  of  slate.  Having  reconciled  this  prince  to  his  &thet 
Ferdinand,  and  not  being  rewarded  by  the  latter  as  he 
flioiigbt  be  deserved,  he  aimed  against  him  ^*  A  Dialogue 
^u  IhgnaliiQde/'  in  which  also  he  launched  oiot  into  dke 
praises  l>f  Charles  VIII.  of  France,  his  great  enemy*  Fer-^ 
dinand  had  the  magnanimity  to  despise  his  censures,  and 
iuAir  hiia  to  bold  his  appointments.  Pbntanus  died,  .ac<^ 
eording  to  Moreri,  in  1503,  at  the  age  of  seventy-seveo^ 
aecording  to  others  two  years  later.  His  epitaph  is  famoui^ 
and,  tbougb  vain  enough  in  the  beginning,  concludes  with 
a  ^fine  thought,  which  seeos  to  have  suggested  the  still 
more  sublime  close  of  Dr.  Foster's  epitaph  ou  himself 

Sum  Jobannes  Joviantis  PontanuSy 
QxxMa  a»iareru&t  bona  Musib^  > 

Suapexerunt  nri  frobi> 

HoaestavOTunt  R^;ea>  Domim. 

Sdfl  quid  sim»  aut  quia  potius  fuerim. 

Cgo  vero  te,  Uo&pes^  noscere  in  tenebris  nequeo; 

Sed  teipsum  ut  noscas,  rogo.-Vale. 

He  wrote  the  **  History  of  the  Wars  of  Ferdinand  I.  and 
John  of  Anjou,*'  and  several  works  in  prose,  which  were 
collected  and  publis)ied  at  Venice  by  D'AsoIa,  in  1513^ 
15 IS,  in  3  vols.  8vo.  His  poetical  works  were  published 
by  Aldus,  in  1505,  in  8vo,  and  again  in  1513,  1518,  in  2 
vols.  Many  have  considered  bim  as  the  most  accomplished 
poet  and  scholar  .of  bis  age;  but,  like  too  many  scholars, 
he  was.  infected  with  the  licentiousness  which  then  prcr . 

vailed.* 

• 

1  Tiraboschi.— Ginguen^  Hist.  Litt.  d*Italie.<— Beloe's  Aneodatei.— Chao^ 
fiie^^Jabric.  BibV  ttt  Med: 

*  Tvabofcbi.7-ChAttftp2e, — ^Niceron,  vob. VIII.  and  X. — ^Bloant's  Censura.-v- 
^oscoe'8  Leo.-^resswen't  Pdlitian,  &c.— GiDgaene  Hist  Litt.  d'ltalie.— For 
lut  wMrks  see  Bmnet'i  Maoiiel  da  Libraire. 


l£(a  P  O  N  T  A  N  u  s. : 

PONTANUS.  (John  Isaac),  hhtoriographer  to  hi$* 
Danisb  majesty,  and  to  the  province  of  Guelderland,  was 
of  a  family  of  Harlem,  but  was. born  in  Denmark,  in  1571,^ 
and  died  in  1640,  aged  69,  at  Harderwick,  where  he  had. 
taught  physic  and  mathematics.  His  works  are,  ^^His- 
toria  Urbis  et  Rerum  Amstelodamensium,"  folio;  ^^Iti-. 
nerarium' Gallise  Narbonehsis,"  l2mo;  ^*  Rerum  Danica- 
rum  Historia,!'  .folio.  This  history, ,  which  is  esteemed, 
comes  dewn  to  1548  ;  and  M.  de  Westphal,  chancellor  of 
Holstein,  printed  the  Supplement  in  vol.  II.  of  his  ^*  Monu-* 
menta  inedita  Rerum  Germanicarum,''  &c.  Leipsic^  1740,. 
folio;  which  includes  the  reigns  of  Christiern.I.  and  the 
five  succeeding  kings,  with  a  life  of  Pontanus.  ,  Pontanus 
wrote  also,  ^^  De  Rbeni  divortiis  et  accolis  populis  adversus 
Ph.  Cluverium,''  1617,  4to,  a  learned  and  judicious  work ; 
*^  Discussiones  Hist;oric8s,"  8vo  ;  *^  Historia  Geldrica,''  fol.; 
•*  Origines  Francicae,"  4to ;  the  "  Life  of  Frederic  II.  king 
of  Denmark,"  published  1737,  by  Dr.  George  Krysing,  a 
physician  at  Flensburg.  Pontanus  left  several  other  works 
in  MS. ;  among  others,  an  account  of  women  who  have  dis- 
tinguished themselves  by  their. learning.  He  also  wrote, 
some  very  iudiffereut  verses  published  at  Amsterdam  '  ia 
1634,  12mo.* 

PONT  AS  (John),  a  celebrated  casuist,  was  born  De- 
cenlber  2,  1638,  at  St.  Hilaire  de  Harcourt,  in  the  diocese 
of  Avranches.  He  completed  his  studies  at  Paris,  took 
holy  orders  at  Toul  in  1663,  was  admitted  doctor  of  canon 
and  civil  law  three  years  after,  and  appointed  vicar  of  St. 
Genevieve  at  Ps^ris.  After  be  had  zealously  discharged 
the  duties  of  this  situation  for  twenty-five  years,  he  became 
sub-penitentiary  of  Paris,  and  died  in  that  city,  April  27^ 
1728,  aged  ninety,  leaving  a  large  *^  Dictionary  of  CaseA 
of  Conscience ;''  the  most  complete  edition  of  which  is  that 
of  1741,  3  vols,  folio.  M.  Collet  has  published  an  abndge-r 
jnent  of  it  in  two  volumes,  4to.  His  other  works  are, 
'^  Scriptura  sacra  ubique  sibi  constans,'*  quarto ;  in  which 
he  reconciles  the  seeming  contradictions  in  the  Penta-; 
teuch  ;  <*  Les  entretiens  spirituels  pour  iAstruire,  e^horter, 
et  consoler  les  Mstlades ;"  s^nd  a  great  number  of  other  re- 
ligious books.  *  1 

PONTAULT  (Sebastian  Beaulieu  de),  an  eminent 
French  engineer,  is  considered  as  the  first  military  topo? 

1  Chaufepie.— Kiceron,  vol.  XXXlf.--Moreri«  •  Moreri.— Diet.  Hist.. 


P  O  NT  A  U  LT.  151 

Ifrapbeir,  or  rather  as  the  Itivehtor  of  that  art»  in  the  time 
of  Louis  XIV. ,  It  was  bis  practice  to  follow  the  armyy 
and  coAstriict  upon  the  spot  plans  of  the  battles  and  sieges^ 
with  historical  and  perspective  accompaniments.  We  find 
many  of  his  plans  in  the  <<  GEvre  de  Delle-Bella ;"  but 
his  most  important  work  is  entitled  <^  Les  glorieuses  Con- 
qolgtes  de  Louis-le-Grand :  ou  Recueil  de  Plans  et  Vues 
4es  places  assiege^s,  et  de  celles  ou  se  sont  donne6s  des 
hataiUes,  avec  des  Discours/*  2  vols,  folio.  This  worky 
one  of  the  most  magnificent  of  the  kind,  comprehends  all 
the  operations  of  war,  from  the  battle  of  Roeroi,  in  1643, 
to  the  taking  of  Namur,  in  169^.  De  Pontault  died  in 
1674;  but  the  work  was  completed  to  the  above  date  at 
the  expence  of  his  niece,  the  widow  of  the  sieur  Des 
Roches.  This  edition  is  usually  called  the  Gr^nd  Beaulieu^ 
todistingu^^  it  from  one  on  .a  reduced  8cale>  in  oblQng 
•quarto,  cal  ;d  the  Fetit  Beaulieu,  of  which  there  ^re  two 
series,  onqin  three  volumes,  comprehending  views  of  the 
actions  in  the  .Netherlands;  the  other  in  four,  which  in«- 
.<;ludes  those*  of  France.  From  the  death  of  this  abie^drafi^s- 
nao,  military  jtopography  is  said  to  have  been  prod^uctive  of 
^'very  few  good  specimens  in  France,  until  witliin  the  last 
fifty,  years. 

'Perrault  informs  us,  that  Pontault  went  into  the  army  at 
the  age  of  fifteen,  and  behaved  with  so.  much  spirit  at  the 
siege  of  Rochelle,  that  the  Cing  gave  him  the  post  of  com- 
missary of  artillery,  although  then  so  young.  He  wa$^aCter- 
wards  present  at  most  of  the  battles  and  sieges  which  be  has 
described,  ai^d  did  not  quit  a  military  life  until  the  Iqss  of 
«an  arm  and  other  wounds,  with  the  approach  of  old  age, 
rendered  retirement  necessary.  ^ 

PONT£  (Francis  da),  one  of  a  family  of  artists,  was 
-originally  of  Vicenza,  but  settled  at  Bassano,  a  small  town 
on  the  Brenta,  whence  he  was  called  Bassan,  or  Bassano. 
Be  may  be  considered  as  the  head  pf  the  Bassanese  school : 
and  his  ed4icalion  is  said  to  have  been  sufficiently  le^rqed. 
The  different  styles  that  discriminate  his  works  clearly  shew 
which  were  the  fixst  and  which  the  la^t  IJeis  diligent,  but 
dry,  in  the  St.  Bartolomeo  of  the  cathedral,  more  genial 
and  mellow  in  another  picture  of  the  cb.urchi>f  S.  Giovanni 
at  Bassano  :  but  in  the  Pentecost  whigh  he  painted  in  the 
v^illage  of  Olero,  he  shews  himself  alo^ost  a  modern  painter; 

;  Biog.  UolT.  art,  Beanliea;— PemniU  Lei  Hommef  lUostren 


waa. 


Ut  PONTE.      . 

the  arnmgenilBnt  is  masterly;  ibm  cokmr  kts  f«aHiy»  Tft* 
rietjr^  li^moiiy^>  tibe  eipressiod  is  warfn, .  pleasing^  atid 
eharacMrislie  of  tlie  lujb^ject.  He  Was  the  father  aini  fica( 
instmctor  of  Jacob  da  Ponte.    He  died  about  1 5  SO.  ^ 

t^ONTE  (Jacob  da),  cilled  also  II  Bassano,  aod  IMm 
BAS9AN  Vj&CGma,  4rsU  born  at  Bassino,  ISIO,  aod  iaitia^ 
in  thd  finit  principle  of  the  art  by  his  fadier,  of  iMch  tbm 
proefc  are  hU  earliest  works  in  the  church  of  S^  Bernard 
dlno.  He  weat  to  Venice/  recommended  to  BonifiudQ^  4 
fisaftter  not  lesis>  jealous  of  his  'mystery*  than  Titian  or 
Tintoretto ;  so  that  JiaCob  saw  little  mor6  of  bis  method 
than  what  he  could  discover  through  a  key-bole  or  a  cre^- 
Vice«  The  short  time  he  staid  at  Venice  was  empbyed 
•drawinjgfrotii  the  designs  of  Parmegiano,  and  in  making  co^ 
pies  firaoa  the  pictures  of  Bonifazio  and  Titian,  whose  scho^ 
iar  he  is  even  called  in  some  MS.  and  not  without  probabi* 
lity,  if  conformity  of  manner  were  sufficient  to  prove  it,  ao 
mtich  does  his  second  siyleresemble  that  of  Titian.  Thed^fath 
t)f  his  father  obliged  him  to  return  and  to  fix  himself  at  Basi- 
i^a'ao,  a  small  opulent  towh  surrounded  by  a  picturesque 
^country,  abounding  in  cattle  Mid  pastures,  and  coavenL- 
ently  situated  for  mari^ets  and  fairs:  from  which  objects 
arose  his  third  style,  natural,  simple,  and  pleasing,  th^ 
Itsdian  prelude'  to  that  which  aftenirards  distinguished  the 
FlemijA  school.  In  the  handling  of  the  pencil  he  had  two 
imethods  r  one  highly  finished^in  blended  tints,  and  only  «t 
last  decided  by  bolder  touches;  the  second,  which  must 
be  the  testtlt  of  the  first,  was  formed  of  simple  pencil* 
trtrokes,  and  dashes  of  gay  and  lucid  tints,  laid  on  with* 
eonscious  power,  and  a  kind  of  contemptuous  security, 
which,  on  close  inspection,  appear  a  confused  mass,  at  a 
distance  from  a  magic  charm  of  colours.  His  composition 
in  both  is  the  same,  and  peculiar  to  himself,  blendmg  ciiv 
cttlar  with  triangular  forms^  and  the  most  contrasted  pos- 
tures with  paraUel  lines.  He  veils  his  light,  and  by  its  sq-> 
het  distribution,  the  frequent  tisO  of  demi^rii^ts,  and  little 
or  no  black,  contrives  to  produce  harmony  finom  the  asoat 
opposite  colours.  Iti  the  degradation  of  his  lights,  hedfteo 
tnakes  the  shade  of  ao  interior  figure  serve  for  the  ground 
of  an  exterior  one,  and  strikes  the  strongest  lights  od  the 
most  angular  parts,  such  as  the  top  of  tte  sboulden,  the 
knei?,  the  elbows.    His  drapery,  simple  in  appearance,  is 

I  Filki^gtoDy  by  Faielt; 


P  O  N  T  E.  .  ISI 

disfio^ed  with  ^remt  art  for  tbis  purp^Nie^  and  the  Md%  lire 
vArii^  according  to  the  difference  of  the  «tufi«  with  ua^ 
usual  fefinement.  His  colours  even  bow  have  the  brilliancy 
of  genu^  especially  the  greets  which  bas.ae  emerald  lustr« 
peculiar  to  himself 

In  the  beginning  he  aimed  at  grandeur  of  style,  and  left 
some  traces  of  it  in  certain  pictures  still  existing  in  frdnt 
of  the  house  Michieli,  chiefly  remarkable  for  a  figure  of 
Slunson  slaying  the  Philistines,  with  a  flerceness  not  un* 
worthy  of  Midiael  Angela     But  whether  prompted  by 
nature  or  judgment,  he  soon  con6ned  himself  to  smaller 
proportions  and  subjects  of  less  energy*     Even  in  altar* 
pieces  bis.6gures  aie  generally  below  the  natural  size,  and 
sddom  much  alive ;  so  that  some  one  said,  the  elders  of 
Tintoretto  hfkd  all  the  rage  of  youth,  and  the  youth  of  Bas^ 
saoo  all  the  apathy  of  age.     His  situation,  d>e  monotoor 
and  floeanneas  of  the  objects  that  surrounded,  him,  limited 
his  ideas,  debased  bis  fancy,  and  caused  frequent  repeti«- 
tidnr  of  the. same  sobjects  without  much  variation.     He  bad 
contracted  the  habit  of  working  at  his  ease  in  his  study 
assisted  by  his  scholars,  and  of  dispatching  the  produce 
10  Venice,  or  the  most«  frequented  fairs.     Hence  those 
swarms  of  pictures  of  all  sizes,  which  make  it  less  a  boast 
for  a  collector  to  possess  a  Bassan,  than  a  disgrace  not  to 
have  one.    The  Banquet  of  Martha  and  the  Pharisee^  the 
Prddigal  Son,  Noah's  Ark,  the  Return  of  Jacobs  the  An- 
nunciation to  the  Shepherds,   the  Queen  of  Sbeba,   the 
Three  Magi,  the  Seizure  of  Christ,  and  the  taking  down 
from  ihe  Cross  by  torch-light,  nearly  coimpose  the  series 
of  his  sacred  subjects.    The  profane  ones  consist  chiefl|r 
in  markets,    rustic  employments,    kitchens,   larders,  &o. 
His  daughters  generally  sat  for  his  females,  whether  queens, 
Magdalens,  or  country  wenches.     The  grand  objection  to 
his  workii  b  a  repetition  of  similar  conceits ;  but  these,  it 
must  be  allowed,  he  carried  to  a  high  degree  of  perfec- 
tion.    He  lived  equally  employed  by  the  public  and  the 
great,  and  highly  esteemed, .  if  not  by  Vasari,  by  the  most 
celebrated  of  his  contemporaries  and  rivals,  Titian,  Titlr 
toretto,  Annibai  Caracci,    and  Paul  Veronese.     He  died 
in  1592,    aged  eighty*two,   le|iviag  four  sons,    Francis, 
Lsander,  John  Baptist,,  and  Jerom ;  all  of  whom  preserved 
the  reputation  of  the  family,  in  a  considerable  degree,  for 
4Dany  years. ' 

^  PSUH&gtoa,  by  Fmli.-^-D'ArgeiiTUIe,  T^.  I.-^ir  J.  lUyaol Js^  Wotkft.  > 


154  PONTIUS. 

•  PON*riUS'  (CoKStantine),  a  Spanish  divine  and  mar-* 
tyr^  <;aHed  also  De  Fuekte^  was  a  native  of  the  town  of  St. 
Clement,  in  New  Castiife,  9Sad  was  educated  at  the  univer* 
sity  of- ValladoHc),  where  he  Jbeca^ie  an  excellent  Jjnguist. 
After  taking  his  doctor^s  degree  he  obtained  a  canonry  in 
the  metropolitan  church  of  Seville,  and  was  made  theologi- 
cal professor  in  that  city.  '•  His  learning  and  eloquence 
becoming  known,  he  was  appointed  preacher  to  the  eai- 
peror  Charles  V.  and  afterwards  to  his  son  Philip  11.^ 
tvholn  he  attended  into  England,  where  he  imbibed  the 
principles  of  theRefoiaaation.  After  his  return  to  Spain^  \ 
he  resumed '  bis  employment  of  preacher  at  Seville,  where 
the  change  in  bis  sentiments  was  first  suspected,  and  then 
discovered  by  a  treacherous  seizure  of  his  papers.  He 
did  not,  however,  affect  any  denial,  but  boldly  avowed  his 
principles,  and  was  therefore  thrown  into  prison,  where.be 
was  kept  for  two  years,  and  would  have  been  burnt  sdive,  to 
which  punishment  he  was  condemned,  had  he  not  died- of 
e  dysentery,  occasioned  by  the  excessive  heat  of  his  place^of 
cohfinement,  and  the  want  of  proper  food.  This  hap- 
jpened  the  day  before  bis  intended  execution,  and  his  ene* 
'faiies  not  only  reported  that  he  had  laid  violent  hands  on 
iiimself,  to  escape  the  disgrace,  but  burnt  nis  remains  and 
effigy,  having  first  exposed  them  in  a  public  procession, 
^s  an  author,  bis  works  were  *' Commentaries*'  ou  the 
-Proverbs,  Ecclesiastes,  the  Song  of  Solomon,  and  Job; 
^*  A  Summary  of  the  Christian  Doctrine ;"'  **  Sermons,*' 
and  other  smaller  pieces.^  .  , 

PONTOPPIDAN  (Eaic),  bishop  of  Bergen,  who  was 
'born  in  1698,  at  Aarhuus,  in  Denmark,  and  died  in  1764» 
wrote  several  works  respecting  the  history  and  geography 
^f  that  kingdom  ;  one  of  which,  his  <^  History  of  Norway,?' 
<was  translated  into  English  in  1755.  His  other  publica- 
tions are  less  known  in  this  country.-*-He  must  be  disting- 
uished from  another  Danish  writer  of  both  his  names^ 
(author  of  a  Danish  grammar,  a  collection  of  epigrams  and 
other  articles  of  Latin  poetry.  He  was  born  in  1616,  and 
-died  in  1678.  • 

'.    PONTORMO.     See  CARRUCCL  ^ 

,  POOL,  or  POOLE  (Matthew),  a  learned  .Noncm- 
fomiist,  was  born  in  the  city  of  York  in  1624.  He  was 
the  son  of  Francis  Pool,  esq.  by  a  daughter  of  alder«*> 
man  Toppin  of  York,  and  was  descended  from  the  ancient 
faniljref  the  Pools  or Tooles,  of  l^rinkbill,  in  Derbyshire^ 

1  6«D.  Diet — Mcreri.— Bea«  Icones.  '  Moreri.— 'Diet.  Hiit. 


POOL.  1«: 

but  his  grandfather,  being  obliged  to  lei^ye  tliil^ollmtjr  fin 
account  of  bis  attachment  to  tb'i  reforiiiatiini^>  lived  «t  SUie^; 
bouse,  .and  afterwards  at  Drax*^abbey,  in  Yorkshire.     Our 
author  was  educated  at  EmaBttelrcoUege,  Cambridge,  un-> 
der  the  leaf  oed  Pt.  Wimfaington,  and  took  the  degree  o£ 
H«  A.  in  which  be  was  incorporated  at  Oxford/ July  14^ 
^tift57«  -  Having  long  before  this  adopted  the  prevailipg  no- 
tions during  the  usurpation,  concerning  ecclesiastical  po- 
lity, on  the  presbyterian  plan,  he  was  ordained  according 
to ;  the  forms,  then  used;  and  about  1648,  was  appointed 
rector  or  rather  minister  of  St.  Michael  le  Querne,  in  Loa- 
don,  in  which  he  succeeded  Dr.  Anthony  Tuckney. 
'    His  first  publication  appeared  in  1654,  against  the  So- 
cmian  tenets  of  John  BiddJe,  and  was  entitled  **  The  Blas- 
phemer slain  with  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  or  a  plea  for  the 
Godhead:  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  wherein  the-  Deity  of  the 
Spirit  is  provedj  against  the  cavils  of  John  Biddle,''  I2mo« 
In  .1657  be.we.nt  to.Oxford,  to  be  present  at  the  instalta^ 
tion  of  Richard  Cromnvell^  w.ho  then  succeeded  his  father 
Oliver,  a?  cbdncelior  of  that  university,  and  it  was  upoQ 
this:  occasion  that  Mr.^ Pool  was  incorporated  M.A. ,  {e 
the  following  year  he  published  a  spb^me  of  education 
under  the  title  of>  ^*.  A  model  for  the  maintaining  of  stu« 
dents  of  choice  abilities  at  the  univjersity,  and  principally 
in  order  to  the  ministry.     Together  with  a  Preface  before 
it,  and.after  it  a  recommendation  from  the^  university  ;  aal 
two  serious  exhortations  recommended  unto  all  the  uii» 
feigned  lowers  of  piety  and  learning,  and  more  particularlj 
to  those  rich  men  who  desire  to  honour  the  Lord  with  their 
substance,"  1658,  4to.     Among  the  learned  persons  who 
approved  this  scheme,  we  find  the  names  of ^  John  Wor« 
thington,  John  Arrowsmith,  Anthony  Tuckney,.  Benjai;nill 
Whichcot^  Ralph  Cudvvorth,  and  William  Dillingham.     Its 
-object  was  to  provide  a  fund,  out  of  which  a  certain  nuin* 
ber  of  young  men  might  be  maintained  at  the  university, 
who  could  obtain  no  other  maintenance  by  ej^hibitious, 
scholarships,  &c.     Dr.  Sherlock,    afterwa^rds  dean  of  $t» 
Paul's,  was  indebted  to  this  fund,  being  supported  oat  of 
it  in  taking  his  bachelor's  degree.*    The  .whole  sum  raised 
iiras  about  90Q/.  but  the  restoration  put  a  stop  to  any  far- 
ther accumulation.  . 

In  support  of  the  opinions  of  himself  and  bis  party,  be 

published. in  16^9,  aletter,  in  one.sbeet;4to,  addressed  to 

.  die  lord  Charles  Flef^twood^  and  delMfered  ip  him  on  the 


1*«  P  O  O  L- 

l^thof  December,  Wbtcb  related  to  the  juncture  of 
at  tbat  time  ;  and  in  the  same  year  appeared  *<  Quo  War-^ 
lanto :  a  moderate  debate  about  the  preaching  of  tmor^i^ 
daiued  persons :  election,  ordination,  and  the  extent  of 
the  ministerial  relation,  in  vindication  of  the  Jus  Divinam 
Ministerii,  from  the  exceptions  of  a  late  piece,  entitled 
*  The  Preacher  sent.' "  4to.  I A  the  title-page  of  this  "  Quo 
Warranto''  it  is  said  to  be  written  by  the  appointment  of 
the  provincial  assembly  at  London.  In  1660  be  took  m 
ihare  in  the  morning  exercise,  a  series  of  sermons  then 
preached  by  those  of  the  London  clergy  who  were  deemed 
puritans;  and  he  contributed  some  of  the  most  learned  and 
argumentative  of  their  printed  collection.  The  same  year 
be  published  a  sermon  upon  John  iv.  23,  24,  preached  be«» 
fore  the  lord  mayor  of  London  at  St.  Paul's,  Aug.  26,  in 
the' preface  to  which  he  informs  us  that  be  printed  it  exactly 
as  it  was  preached,  in  conseqtience  of  some  misrepresenta* 
tions  that  had  gone  abroad ;  one  of  which,  says  be,  nvat 
*'  tbat  I  wished  their  fingers  might  rot  that  played  upon 
the  organs.''  This  expression  be  totally  denies,  but  ad« 
fuits  that  be  did  dislike  and  speak  against  instrumental  or 
VocsA  music  when  so  refined  as  to  take  up  the  attention  of 
the  bearers—*"  I  appeal,"  he  adds',  **  to  the  experience  of 
any  ingenuous  |>erson,  whether  curiosity  of  voice  and  mu^ 
ftical  sounds  in  churches  does  not  tickle  the  fancy  with  a. 
carnal  delight,  and  engage  a  man's  ear  and  most  diligent 
attention  unto  those  sensible  motions  and  audible  sounds, 
and  therefore  must  necessarily,  in  great  measure,  recall  hm 
from  spiritual  communion  with  God ;  seeing  the  mind  of 
man  cannot  attend  to  two  things  at  once  witb  all  it's  might 
[to  each],  and  when  we  serve  God  we  must  do  it  witb  aH 
our  might.  And  hence  it  is,  that  the  ancients  have  some 
of  them  given  this  rule;  that  even  vocal  singing  [in 
churches]  should  not  be  too  curious,  sed  legenti  simUiar 
fUam  canenti.  And  Paul  himself  gives  it  a  wipe,  Eph.  ▼.  19^ 
Speaking  to  yourselves  in  psalms^  and  hymns^  and  spirihttd 
iongs^  making  melody  in  your  hearts  to  the  Lord.**  Tbam 
aerixfon  was  revived  in  169S,  4 to,  witb  the  title  of*  A 
reverse  to  Mr.  Oliver's  Sermon  of  Spiritual  WorsiiJip.^* 
The  descendants  of  the  nonconformists  have,  however,  ia 
our  times  effectually  got  rid  of  their  prejudices  againat. 
organs. 

However  Mr.  Fool  might  vindicate  himself  against  tlia 
tnisnepreseotations  of  this  sermon,  be  refused  to  compljr. 


FO  O  U  157 

fikhthe  aetof  uniformity  in  16^2,  and  tberefom  incttfroil 
an  ejectment  from  his  reotory ;  upon  which  occasion  h« 
iprim^ed  a  piece  in  Latin^  entiCled  ^<  Fox  clamsntis  in  &•» 
^erio.'*^  Hp  then  submitted  to  the  law  with  a  commend^ 
able  resignation,  and  enjoying  a  paternal  e9tate  of  one 
hundred  pounds  per  annum,  sat  down  to  his  studies,  re^ 
solving  to  employ  his  pen  in  the  service  of  religion  in  gtr 
neral,  without  interfering  with  the  controversies  of  the 
times«  With  this  view,  be  formed  the  design  of  a  very 
laborious  and  useful  work,  which  procured  him  n^icj^ 
credit  at  the  time,  and  entitles  him  to  the  regard  of  posv 
terifcy/y^ThTs-wai.  his  "Synopsis  Criticorum,'^  publisbel 
in  J6d9,  and  following  years,  in  5  very  large  volumei^  ia 
folio,  some  account  of  which  may  not  be  uninteresting^  as 
it  throws  some  light  on  the  state  of  literary  trade  and  public 
spirit  in. those  days.  As  it  was  probable  that  this  wor^ 
which  was  suggested  by  bishop  Lloyd,  would  be  atteijdeji 
with  an  enormous  expence,  Mr.  Pool,  after  he  had  formed 
his  pUui,  and  partly  prepared  his  .materials,  endeavouired 
first  to  discover  what  likelihood  there  was  of  pitblic  enoour 
ragenient,  apd  with  this  view  published  as  a  specimen  of 
the  \fork,  the  sixth  etiapter  of  Genesis,  with  ae  address 
-and  pjroposals.  In  these  be  solicited  the  subscritptions  of 
^^  the  friefids  of  religion  and  learning^  to  the  "  Synopsis,** 
»vhich  was  io  consist  of  three  volumes  folio,  of  9B0  sheets 
•each,  at  4L  each  copy,  and  the  number  of  his  subsoribem^ 
'there  is  reason  to  think,  was  from  the  beginning  very  j^reat, 
jmen  of  all  parties  discovering  an  eagerness  to  encourage  a 
work  the  utility  of  which  was  so  obvioy9.  That  the  .sub*- 
aeidbears  might  be  satisfied  as  to  their  money  being  pr oe 
perly  expended,  a  committee  of  divines  and  ge^emeu 
of  psoperty  eonsenled  to  act  as  trustees  for  ihe  manager 
ment  of  the  fund*  These  were,  sir  Jsjues  Langbam,  Dr. 
Patack,  JDc  Tillotson,  Dr.  Micklethwait,  2>r.  Wharton, 
John  King,  of  the  Inner-Temple,  esq.  and  JAr.  Stillingfleet, 
jny  three  of  whom  juigbt  impower  the  treasurer,  William 
iWebb,  esq.  to  is^ue  money  for  carrying  on  the  wortr. 

.  Aiofig  with  this  specimen  aud  proposak,  Mr.  Pool  fnub-^ 
lished  the  opinions  of  <<  several  eminent,  reverend,  and 
^learned  persons,  bishops  and  others|,*'  in  favour  of  th^ 
wwadi^,  and  of  his  ability  to  etj^ute  jit>  of  wbiph  he  was  au^ 
"thoTi^ed  to  maJie  this  use.  Among  the  prelates  who  re- 
.eomfuendi^tbe^'SypopsiV'  ,#$;*  vxvkvbiph  they  ^^were 
persuaded  would  teud  wetf  OHicb  to  theadraocemetitof 


15a  POOL. 

leligipn  and  l«mii»g,  were  Morley,  bishop  of  Winctreiter^ 
ReyooIcU  of  'Norwich,  Ward  of  Salisbury,  Rainbow  of 
Carliste,  Blandford  of 'Oxford,  Dolben  and  Warner  of 
Socbester,  Morgan  of  Bangor,  and  Hacket ;  of  Lichfield 
«nd  Coventry ;  and  among  the  other  divines,  several  of 
whom  afterwards  were  raised  to  the  episcopal  bench,  w^e 
Dr.  Barlow,  provost  of  Queen's  college,  Oxford ;  Dr.  Wil- 
kins,  Dr.  Castell,  Dr.  Lloyd  (whom  some,  as  we  have  ob* 
served,  make  the  first  instigator),  ■  Dr.  Tiltotson,  Mr.  Stil* 
lingfleet.  Dr.  Patrick,  Dr.  Whichcot ;  Dr:  Bathurst,  pre- 
sident of  Trinity  college,  Oxford,  Dr.  Wallis  and  Drv 
Ligbtfoot,  with  the  -most  eminent  and  learned  of  the  non- 
conformists, >  Baxter,  Owen,  Bates,  Jacomb,  Horton,  and 
Manton.  Most  of  these  signed  their  opinions  in  a  body ; 
but  bishop  Hacket,  Dr.  Barlow,  Dr.  Lightfoot,  and  Dr. 
Owen,  sent  him  separate  letters  of  encouragement,  in  Ian* 
guage  which  could  not  fail  to  have  its  weight  with  the  pub- 
lic. He  also  acknowledges,  with  great  gratitude,  tbe  mu- 
nificent aid  he  received  from  sir  Peter  Wentworth,K;B. 
who  appears  to  have  been  bis  chief  .'p^atron,  and  from  sir 
Orlando  Bridgman,  the  earls  of'  Manchester,  Bridgwater, 
JLauderdale,^  and ,  Donegal ;  >the  lords  Truro,  Brooke,  and 
Cameron,  sir.  William  Morrice,  sir  Walter  St.  John,  sir 
Thomas  Clifford,  sir  Robert  Murray,  .&c.  &c.  &c. 

With  much  encouragementhe  ihad  also  some  difficulties 
to  encounter.  When  the  first- volume  was  ready  for  the 
press,  an  obstruction  which '  appeared  very  formidable 
was  thrown  in  his  way  by  Cornelius  Bee,  a  bookseller, 
who,  in  a  paper  or  pamphlet  called  ^^  The  case  of  Cornelius 
-Bee,"  accused  Mr.  Pool  of  invading  his  property.  To  un* 
derstand  this  it  is  necessary  to  know  that  this  Mr.  Bee,  un- 
questionably a  man  of  an  ente^prizing  spirit*,  equal  per- 
haps to  any  instance  known  in  our  days  among  the  trade, 
Jiad  published  a  very  few  years  before,  i.  e.  in  1660,  tbe 
.'f  Critici  Sacri,''  or  a  body  of  criticisms  of  the  most 
learned  men  in  Europe,  amounting  to  ninety,  on  the  Old 
and  New  Testament,  given  at  large  from  their  works,  and 

>extending  to  nine  volumes  folio.     Bee  bad  a  patent  for  this 

/  ,         I     • »  .    •     .  • 

*■  Faller,    after .  mentidniog  that  btbei  in  Uieir  laps,  whom  theji:  cait- 

Knighton^tlFIistory was** fairly  printed  not' bear  in  their  wombs.  'And  tbas 

with  other  Uistonans^  on  the  comineDd-  thit  industrious' statioBeT    (theagh  ifo 

.able  cost  of  .Cornelius  Bee/'  adds,  in  fatfier)  hath  beenfosterrfather  to  mao^ 
his  quaint  way^  **  Thus  it  is  some  com-  ■  worthy  books,  to  the  great  profit  of 

Ibrt  and  contentment  to  such,  whom  posterity/*  Fuller's  Worthies,  Leicea- 

oatvre  hfitbdenied  to  be  mothers,  that  terfbire^  p.  133-.  .  . 
tlity  may  be  drye  nurses,  and  dandle 


P  O  O  L.'  159 

wwkf  Bad  BDXiiiestionaUy  (dciM^ed  every  encoaragemeot 
and  protection  the  law  could  give,  but  the  language  of  his 
patent  seems  to  have  given  him  a  narrpw  notion  of  literary 
property.  It  stated  that  no  perscmjUould  print  the  Critics 
either  in  whole  or  inpart^  and  therefore  he  considered 
If  r.  Pool  as  prohibited  from  taking  any  thing  from  this  vast 
collection  of  criticisms  which  separately  were  in  every^ 
persons'  hands,  or  from  making  any  abricjgmeht,  or  com« 
piling  any  work  that  resembled. the  "  Criticrfiaori/*  how^. 
ever  improved  in  the  plan,  or  augmented,  as  Pool's  was, 
from  a  variety  authors  not  used  in  it  .  He  also  .c)oj|i|iplained 
that  he  should  sustain  a  double  injury  by  the  ,^.  Synopsis  :'* 
first,  in  the  lo^s  of  the  sale  of  the  remaining  copies  of  his 
own  work,  foe  which  he  did  Mr.  Pool  the  honour  to  think 
there  wonld  be  no  longer  a  demand ;  and  secondly,  in  being 
prevented  from!  publishing  an  improved  edition  of  the 
^'  Critici  Sacri^'  which  he  intended; 

In  answer  to  this,  Mr.  Pool  said,  that  as  soon  as  he 
heard  of  Mr.  Bee*s  objections,  be  took  the  opinion  of 
counsel,  which  was.  in  favour  of  bis  proceeding  w$ih.  the 
**  Synopsis ;"  that  be  also  offered  to  submi|.the  matter  to 
arbitration,  which  Bee  refused,  and  that  he  in  vain  pro« 
posed  other  terms  of  accommodation,  offering  him  a  fourth, 
part  of  the  property,  of  the  work,  which  Mr.  Bee  treated 
with  contempt;  ^f  but,'Vadds  Pool,  *^ \  doubt  not  Mr.  Bee 
Will  .be  more  reconciled  to  it  the  next  time  that  Mr.  Pool 
shall  make  him  such. another  offer,"  which  we  shall  see 
proved  to  be  true.  With  regard  to  the  supposed  iojuiry 
that  would  accrue  to  Mr.;Bee,  part  appears  imaginary,  and 
part  contradictory.  W^*: learn  from  this  controversy,  that 
the  price  of  the  '*  Critici iSacri*'  (which,  as  well  as  of  the 
'*  Synopsis,''  has  been,  in  our  time,  that  of  wasfte;  pa'per) 
was  originally  13/.  lO^./and.Bee  says  in  his  preface,  and 
truly,  that  for  this  sum  the  purchaser  had  more  works  than 
he  cottld  have  bought  separately  for  50L  or  60/;  But  as 
he  had  blamed  Pool  for  occasioning  a  depreciation  of  the 
remaining  copies  of  the..'^  Critici  Sacri,"  the  latter  tells 
him  that  if  this  was  a  crime,  he  was  himself  guilty  of  it  in 
two  ways;  for  first  when  .he  brought  down  the  price  of 
divers  books  from  50/.  or  60/.  to  13/.  10^.  the  possessors  of 
those  books  were  forced  to  sell  them  at  far  lower  prices 
than  they  cost;  and  secohfily.  Pool  contends  that  his.p/o* 
jected  new  edition  of  the  *^  Critici  Sacri"  would  be  a.ma*« 
nifest  injury  to  hundreds  who  bought  the  old  one  it%^ 


i«e  p  o  o  L* 

aiie  some  seroions,  already  meirtiotted)  Ui  the  ^  Morning 
Exercise ;"  a  poem  and  two  epitaphs  upon  Mr.  Jeremjr 
Whitaker;  two  others  upon  the  death  of  Mr.  Richard 
Yines ;  and  another  on  the  death  of  Mr.  Jacob  Stock ;  m 
prefoce  to  twenty  posthumous  Ser4S)ons  of  Mr.  Nalton*s^ 
together  with  a  character  of  him.  He  also  wrote  a  volume 
of  ^^  English  Annotations  on  the  Holy  Scripture  ;*'  but  was 
prevented  by  death  frotn  going  ferther  than  the  56th  chap- 
ter of  Isaiah.  Others  undertook  to  complete  that  work^ 
whose  names  Ant  Wood  has  mistaken.  From  Galamy  we 
learn  that  the  59th  and  eoth  chapters  of  Isaiah  were  done 
by  Mr.  Jackson  of  Moulsey.  The  notes  on  the  rest  of 
isaiah  and  on  Jeremiah  and  Lamentations  were  drawn  up 
by  Dr.  CoUinges ;  Ezekiel  by  Mr.  Hurst ;  Daniel  by  Mr^ 
Cooper ;  the  Minor  Prophets  by  Mr.  Hurst ;  the  four  Evaa^ 
gelists  by  Dr.  Collinges ;  the  Acts  by  Mr.  Vinke ;  the 
Epistle  to  the  Romans  by  Mr.  Mayo ;  the  two  Epistles  te 
the  Corinthians,  and  that  to  tbe  Galatians,  by  Dr.CelliHges; 
that  to  the  Ephesians  by  Mr.  Veale ;  the  Epistles  to  the 
Pfailippians  and  Colossians  by  Mr.  Adams ;  the  Epistles  to 
Timothy,  Titus,  and  Philemon,  by  Dr.  Collinges ;  that  te 
the  Hebrews  by  Mr.  Obadiah  Hughes ;  the  Epistle  of  St. 
James,  two  Epi^les  0f  St.  Peter,  and  the  Epistle  of  St. 
Jude,  by  Mr.  V'Cale ;  three  Epistles  of  St.  John  by  Mr. 
Howe  ;  and  the  Book  of  the  Revelaftions  by  Dr.  Collinges; 
These  Annotations  were  printed  at  London  1685,  in  twe 
Tolumes  in  folio,  and  vej^inted  in  1 700,  which  is  usuall j- 
called  the  best  edition,  although  it  is  far  from  corrects 
We  have  the  original  proposals  for  this  work  also  before 
us;  but  there  is  nothing  very  intenesting  in  them,  unless 
that  they  inform  us  of  the  price,  which  was  1/.  5s,  per  vo<^ 
lume,  or  a  penny  per  sheet,  which  appears  to  have  beea 
the  average  price  of  folio -printing  at  that  time* 

When  Oates's  depositions  concerning  the  popish  plot 
were  printed  in  167!^,  Pool-found  his  iisHaae  in  the  list  of 
those  that  were  to  be  cut  off;  and  an  incident  befel  hin^ 
aoon  after,  which  gave  him  die  greatest  apprehension  of 
bis  danger.  Having  passed  an  evening  at  alderman  Ash- 
urst's,  he  took  a  Mr.  Cfaorley  to  bear  him  company  home* 
'When  they  came  to  the  narrow  passage  wbixeh  leads  frooft 
Clerkenwell  to  St.  John's^-court^  there  were  two  men. 
standing  at  the  entrance;  one  of  whom,  as  Pool  came^ 
along,  cried  out  to  tiie  olihor,  <'  Her«  he  is  P  upon  whiehr 
the  other  replied^  **  Let  him  alone,  for  there  is  somebody 


POOL.  1st 

lyitJbbim.*^  As  soon  as  they  tyei;ie  pasised,  P9olas]^e(}  bi.f 
friend^  if  he  heard  what  tbo.se  men  said?  ana  Ppon  bis 
answering  ^bat  he  had,  **  Well^"  replied  Popl,  ^*  I  ba4 
been  murdered  tp-night  if  yop  b?id  not  beei^  vitb  ;me.'* 
Ijt  is  said,  that,  before  this  incident,  be  gaye  not  the  l^ast 
credit  io  what  w^s  said  in  O^tps's  d^po^itjoji  ^  b^uj;  tben  he 
t^hoyght  prqper  tp  retice  to  )Song.n,d^  where  hp  jjied  in  OqU 
qf  tbe  same  year^  1679^  ppt  without  a  suspicioij  of  heiug 
poi^pned,  as  Oalawy  relates.  ,  ^is  bp,dy  wa^  inte)rred  ivi  ^ 
vault  belonging  to  the  English  ^^rcbants  at  Aqis.terdam.    ^ 

It  h^s  been  said  th^t  Pool  lived  and  died  ^  single  man. 
This,  however,  was  qot  the  .case.  Niceron  te^s  ys  tb^t  ho 
B^4  a  son  who  died  in  1697,  ^  piece  of  ipform^Hon  which. 
be  probably  took  frooi  the  account  of  Mr.  P90I,  prefixed  to 
the  Franpfort  edition  of  t,he  ^^  Synopsis^'?  1694.;  .^nd  in 
Smith's  Obitqajry  (in  Peqk'^  "  Desid^erata")  we  hay^  a 
notice  of  jtbe  bi^cial,  Aug^  11,  1668,  of  **  Mrs.  Poole  (wifj^ 
to  Mr.  Matth,ew  Poole  preacher),  £^t  St.  Andrew's  ^olbprn. 
Dr.  Stillingfleet  preacher  pf  ner  funei^l  serpipn.'*  * 

POPE  (Alexandjer),  the  most  elegant  and  popular  of 
^1  JInglish  poets,  was  born  in  Looibard. street^  Lopdpn^ 
May  22,  1688,  wh^re  his  fa.tjier^  ^linen-draper^  had  g.c- 
quired  a  property  of  20,000/.  His  mother  was  daughter  pf 
W illiam  Turner,  ejsq.  of  Yor^,  two  of  whose  sons  <^ied  in. 
the  service  of  Charles  I.  and  a  third  became  a  genera^ 
bj^cer  in  Spain,  and  from  thi^  last  Mjrs.  Pope  is  ss^id  to 
have  inherited  what  sequestrations  and  forfeitures  had  I^eft; 
10.  the  faA;iily.  Both  his  parents  were  Roman  catholics,  ^e 
.was  frpm  his  bir.tjh  of  a  constitution  tender  and  delicate  ; 
but  is  said  to  have  shewn  remarkable  gentleness  an,d  pweet- 
ness  of  disposition.  The  weakness  of  his  body  continuetjl 
throughout  life,  and  was  so  .grea^t  th^t  .he  constantly  wore 
s.tays;,  but  the  piildness  of  bi.s  mind,  ,s^ys. Johnson,  per- 
Jiaps  ended  with  his  childhood.  His  voice,'  when  he  wa.s 
young,  .was  so  pleading,  that  hp  was  called  in  fpndne^i 
**  the  little  Nightinga,le." 

He  was  taught  to  read  by  an  aunt  who  vras  particularly 
Ibnd  o/hijii,  and  to  write  by  copying  printed  oopks,  wbi<;b 
be  did  jgill  his  life  with  great  skill  .and  dexteVity,  ftlthqugb 
Jiis  ordinary  h^ni  y^  i&r  ftopti  elegant.  ji,i  jtb^  .a^g!e.of 
jeifljht.be  was  placed  under  the  care  of  Tavecner,  ia  Rpmi{>h^ 

'     1  Biog.  3  rit— Calamy.— fQen.  pict,— Birch»/i  T(ltotwp,-^^^r%m:9r.r^A^,  iOx,' 
.foMI^-rkJowbtefJl  Life  of.Combsier,  p- 51.— PrppowU  teipefi^jng  hU  SvmynfH^ 
io  a  volume  of  Ti  acUi,  Jo  \k9  .pgwession  of  the  f^ditpwr.— ^^iceioa,  vqI,  ^'XfUV, 

M    2 


164  to  P  E. 

priest^  who  taught  him  the  rudiments  of'  the  Greek  und 
Latin  languages  at  the  same  time,  a  method  tery  rarely 
practiced.     Having  improved  considerably  under  Taverner^ 
he  was' sent  to  a  celebrated  seminary  of  catholics  at  Twy« 
ford,  hear  Winchester ;  but  in  consequence  of  his  writing 
a  lampoon  on  his  master,  one  of  his  first  efforts  in  poetry,, 
he  was  again  removed  to  a  school  kept  near  Hyde-park* 
corner.     His  master^s  name  here  is  not  mentioned  by  any 
of  his  biographers,  but  it  was  probably  John  Bromley,  who 
wad  curate  of  St.  Giles's  in  the  fields  in  the  beginning  of 
James  II.'s  reign,  soon  after  became  a  decided  catholic^ 
and  losing  bis  employment  at  the  revolution,  taught  a 
i^chool  with  good  reputation.      Dodd  was  informed  that 
Pope  was  one  of  his  pupils.     Before  his  removal  to  this 
last  place  he  had  been  much  a  reader  of  Ogilby's  Homer,, 
and  Sandys'  Ovid,  and  frequently  spoke,  in  the  latter  part 
of  his  life,  of  the  exquisite  pleasure  which  the  perusal  of 
these  two  writers  gave  him.     He  now  had  an  opportunity 
of  visiting  the  playhouse^  and  became  so  delighted  with 
dieatrical  exhibitions,  that  he  formed  a  kind  of  play  froia 
the  chief  events  of  the  Iliad  as  related'  by  Ogilby,  with 
9ome  verses  of  bis  own  intermixed.     He  persuaded  a  few 
of  the  upper  boys  to  act  in  this  piece  ;  the  master^s  gar- 
dener represented  the  character  of  Ajax ;  and  the  actors 
were  dressed  after  the  pictures  of  his  favourite  Ogilby^ 
which  indeed  were  designed  and  engraved  by  artists  of 
note. 

In  17bo,  when  he  had  attained  his  twelfth  year,  he  re- 
tired  with  his  father  to  Biufield'near  Oakingham  ;  and  for 
some  time  was  under  the  care  of  another. priest  named 
Dean,  but  with  so  little  advantage,  that  the  youth  deter- 
mined to  study  on  a  plan  of  his  own,  Reading  all  such  books 
as  be  could  procure;  but  with  a  decided  preference,  even 
at  this  early  age,  to  poetical  works.  It  does  not  appear 
that  any  of  the  learned  professions  were  pointed .  out  to 
him*,  or  that  bis^father  attempted  in  any  way  to  direct  his 
studies.  *^  He  was,"  says  Dr.  Warton,  *'  invariably  and 
solely  a  poet,  from  the  beginning  of  his  life  to  the  end.** 
Of  the  poets  which  he  read,  Dryden  soon  became  his  fa- 
vourite and  model ;  and  we  are  told  that  he  entreated  a 
friend  to  <;arry  him  to  Button's  coffee-bouse  which  Dryden 

*  Peirliapii  bis  deformity  of  perton  fiMroiity  aroM  bfti  not  been  MCertiiiited  ^ 
flight  sofgest  an  tiofitiien  for -the  but  most  probably  it  wat  frwoaarick-* 
WaraedprofeMMNEia.    Whence  Uiv  4^»    cty  oonirtiliiti^a. 


P  O  P  R  i«5 

ibeqiIbQted,  tbat  he  might  gratify  himself  with  the  bore 
sight  of  a  man  whom  be. so  maeh  admired,  and  of  whom 
he  continaed  to  speak  well  throughoiit  life. 

How  early  Pope  began  to  write  cannot  be  ascertained : 
some,  think  the  **  Ode  to  Solitude,*'  written  at  twelve  years 
of  age,  was  his  earliest  production  ;  but  Dodsley,  who  lived 
in  intimacy  with  him«  had  seen  pieces  of  a  still  earlier  date. 
,At  fourteen,  he  employed  himself  in  some  of  those  trans- 
lations apd  imitations  which  appear  in  the  first  volume  of 
his  works  ;  and  still  zealous  in  the  prosecution  of  his  poeti- 
cal studies,  he  appears  at  this  time  ambitious  to  exhibit 
-specimens  of  every  kind  of  poetry.     He  wrote  a  comedy, 
a  tragedy,  and  an  epic  poem,  with  panegyrics  on  all  the 
princes  of  Europe ;  and,  as  he  confesses,  <^  thought  himself 
the  greatest  genius  that  ever  was."  Most,  however,  of  these 
puerile  productions  he  afterwards  destroyed.     At  sixteen 
he  wrote  his  *^  Pastorals,"  which  laid  the  foundation  of  last- 
ing hostility  between  Philips  and  himself,   but  were  the 
means  of  introducing  him  to  the  acquaintance  and  friend- 
ship of  Sir  William  Trumbull,  who  had  formerly  been  much 
Ml  public  life,  as  a  statesman,  and  was  then  retired  within 
a  short  distance  of  Biufield.     Trumbull,  who  was  pleased  to 
find  in  his  neighbourhood  a  youth  of  such  abilities  and  taste 
as   young   Pope,    circulated  his  **  Pastorals"    among  his 
friends,  and  introduced  him  to  Wycberley  and  Walsh,  and 
the  wits  of  that  time.    They  were  not  however  published 
until  1709,  and  then  only  in  Tonson*s  Miscellany.     Of 
their  poetical  merit,  it  seems  now  agreed  that  their  chief 
excellence  lies  in  correctness  and  melody  of  versification, 
and  that  the  discourse  prefixed  to  them,  although  much  of 
it  is  borrowed  from  Rapin  and  other  authors,  is  elegantly 
and  elabonitely  written.     Froifi  this  time  the  life  of  Pope, 
as  an  author,  may  be  cplnputed,  and  having  now  declared 
^himself  a  candidate  for  fame,  and  entitled  to  mix  with  his 
brethren,  he  began  at  the  age  of, seventeen  to  frequent 
the  places  where  they  used  to  assemble.    This  was  done 
without  much  interruption  to  his  studies,  bis  own  account 
of  which  was,  that  from  fourteen  to  twenty  he  read  only 
for  amntement,  from  twenty  to  twenty- seven  for  improve- 
jnent  and  instruction  :  that  in  the  first  part  of  his  time  he 
desired  only  to  know,  and  in  the  second  he  endeavoured 
to  judge.     His  next  performance  greatly  increased  bis  re- 
putation: this,  was  the  <*  Essay  on  Criticism,"  written  in 
1709 f  and  published  in  1711,  which  Dr.  Johnson  haii  cha* 


166  P  6  P  M. 

i^cterizied,  di  aisj^Iaying  "  such  cxtfeifl  of  cdtnfjreh^hsion, 
'$iich  nicety  of  distinction,  such  Acquaintance  with  n^iinkincf, 
and  such  knowledge  both  of  ancient  and  niddern  leatttin^y 
as  are  not  often  atttiined  by  the  mature^t  Age  and  longest 
#*p$i*iencc."  It  found  its  way,  however,  fath^t  slowly 
into  the  world ;  biiit  when  the  author  had  sent  copies  tb  Lord 
Lansdowne,  the  Duke  of  Buckinghdm,  and  other  gr^at 
*ien,  it  began  to  be  called  for.  It  was  ih  this  **  Essay"  he 
ttiAde  his  attack  on  Dennis,  which  provoked  those  hostilities 
bfetween  theta  that  never  Were  completely  Appeased.  Den- 
nis's reply  was  sufficiently  coarse,  but  he  appears  to  havfe 
been  the  first  who  discovered  that  leading  dhAi^aCterislic  of 
Pope,  his  propensity  to  talk  too  frequently  of  bis  owii  vii*- 
tues,  And  that  sometimei^  irheii  they  were  least  tisible  tb 
others. 

The  **  MessiaV  appeArifed  first  in  the  Spectator,  1713, 
^th  A  warm  recommendation  by  Steele,  and  raised  thto 
highest  expectations  of  what  the  authbr  was  capable  of  per-* 
forming ;  but  he  wAs  hot  so  hAppy  in  his  **  Ode  on  St. 
Cecilia's  Day.''  This  w&s  fblloived  by  the  beautiful  little 
ode,  "The  Dying  Christian  to  his  Soul,"  written  at  Steele's 
desire,  to  be  set  to  music.  In  this  he  owns  his  obligations  to 
the  versies  6f  Adrian,  And  the  fragment  of  Sappho,  butsayi 
tiotbirig  of  Fiatman,  whose  ode  he  not  only  ioiitated,  but  co'- 
pied  some  lines  of  it  verbatini.  The  very  pathetic  "  Elegy 
to  the  memory  of  an  tinfortunate  Lady"  Wai  probably  Writteh 
about  this  time,  but  whb  the  lady  iitsk  reinains  a  ms^ter  of 
conjecture.  One  story,  in  a  note  Appended  to  Dr.  John^ 
son's  life  of  Pope,  is,  that  her  name  wAs  Withinbury,  dr 
Winbury ;  that  she  was  in  love  with  Pope,  and  would  have 
married  him ;  that  her  guardian,  thougb  she  was  deformed 
in  person,  lookiiig  upon  such  a  match  as  beneath  her,  sent 
her  to  a  content,  &c.  where  she  committed  suicide ;  but 
all  this  has  been  contradicted,  and  nothing  i^ubstituted  in 
its  room  much  more  worthy  of  belief. 

In  the  same  year,  1711,  he  produced  the**  Rape  of  the 
Lock,"  a  poem  which  at  once  placed  hiih  higher  than  ^tif 
modern  writer,  and  exceeded  every  thing  of  the  kirid  thathAd 
appeared  in  the  republic  of  letters.  It  was  occasioned  bjr 
a  frolic  of  gallantry ,~in  whifch  Lord  Petre  cut  off  a  favouritfe 
.  lock  of  Mrs.  Arabella  Termor's  hair,  and  this  fdmiliarity 
being  so  much  resented  as  to  occasion  A  serious  rupture 
between  the  two  families,  Mr.  Caryl,  a  friend  to  both,  de^ 
-yired  Pope  to  write  something  that  might  bring  them  int^ 


POPE,  HI 

Wter  buioour*  Two  cantos  were  a<;corduigI]r  produced  ia 
a  fortnight^  and  published  w  ooe  of  Lintot's  Misc^lUoi^s ;  and 
i^ndiDg  th^se  received  with  univerial  appiau$e,  be  pext 
jear  enlarged  the  poeoi  to  five  cantos^ :  4nd  by  the  addi* 
tioa  of  the  machinery,  of  the  Sylpb$i  placed  the  ^'  Rape  of 
tbp  Lock"  above  all  other  mock  ber<:^ic  poemji  whatever. 

It  appears  by  a  letter  to  Steele^  dal^d  Nov.  161,  1712^ 
t^at  be  then  first  commuivicated  to  hii^  ^  The  Temple  of 
Fame,^'  though  be  bad  written  it  two  years  before*  Tb^ 
descriptive  powers  of  Pope,  Warton  thinks  ar^  qiucb  mora 
visible  and  strong  in  this  poeooi  than  in  the  *^  Windsor 
Forest"  which  followed  it  in  th^  order  of  publication,  aU 
though  the  first  part  was  published  in  1704.^  The  ja^t  of 
bis  separate  publications  which  appeared  about  this  timQ 
was  the  *^  Epistle  from  Eloisa  to  Abelard,"  in  which  it  ba^ 
been  jiistly  said  that  he  excelled  every  composition  of  the 
same  kind.  Its  poetical  merit,  however,  great  as  it  is,  if 
scarcely  sufficient  to  make  the  reader  forget  the  inber^nl 
indelicacy  of  the  story,  oir  its  pernicious  tendency. 

Having  amply  establbhed  his  fame  by  sq  many  excellent, 
and  by  two  incomparabley  poems,  the  *^  Rape  of  the  Lock" 
and  the  *^  Eloisa,"  be  now  meditated  what  Warton,  somer 
what  incautiously,  calls  ^'  a  higher  effort,"  his  translation  of 
Homer.  A  higher  effort  it  certainly  was  not  than  the  poen^f 
just  mentioned,  bqt  we  may  allow  it  was  '^  something  that 
might  improve  and  advance  his  fortune^  as  well  as  his  fame." 
A  clamour  was  raised  at  the  time  that  be  had  not  sufficient 
learning  for  such  an  undertaking;  and  Dr.  Johnson  says, 
that  considering  his  irregular  education,  and  course  of 
}ife,  it  is  not  very  likely  that  he  overflowed  with  Greek  j 
but  this,  it  is  knowp,  be  supplied  by  the  aid  of  his  frieiidsi 
or  by  scholars  employed,  of  whom  he  had  no  personal  knowr 
ledge,  as  the  celebrated  Dr.  Jortin,  who,  when  a  soph  at 
Cambridge,  made  extracts  from  Eiistatbius  for  bis  notes. 
This  translation  Pope  proposed  to  publish  by  subscription^ 
in  six  vols.  4to»  at  the  price  of  six  guineas,  and  his  list  of 
subscribers  soon  amounted  to  575,  who  engaged  for  654f 
copies.  The  greatness  of  the  design,  and  popularity  of  tb^ 
author,  and  the  attention  of  the  literary  world,  naturally 
raised  spch  e:spectation$  of  the  future  sale,  that  the  book- 
sellers made  their  offers  with  great  eagerness :  but  th^ 
highest  bidder  was  Bernard  Lintot,  who  became  proprietor^ 
on  condition  of  supplying,  at  his  own  expence,  all  tb? 
Cippies  whicb  were  to  be  delivered  to  subscribe^r/i,  pr,  pr^r 


Ui  P  O  t*^  E. 

sented  to  friends,  arid  paying  2001.  for  every  volume,  so 
that  Popeobtained^ntbewbole,tbesutnof53i20/.  4s.  Tbis 
money  he  partly  laid  out  in  annuities,  particularly  one  of 
200/.  a  year,  or  as  some  say  500/.  from  the  Duke  of  Buck- 
ingham, and  partly  in  the  purchase  of  a  bouse  at  Twicken- 
ham, to  which  he 'now  removed,  '  having  persuaded  bia 
father  to  sell  his  little  property  at  Binfietd. 

The  publication  of  the  first  volume  of  the  ^  Iliad'*  was 
attended  by  a  circumstance  which  interrupted  the  friendship 
that  had  lohg  subsisted  between  Pope  and  Addison.   This 
was  the  appearance  of  a  translation  of  the  first  book  of  the 
Iliad  under  the  name  of  Tickell,  which  Pope  had  reason 
to  think,  and  confidently  asserted,  was  the  work  of  Addison 
himself,  and  not  of  Tickell.     In  the  collection  of  Pdpe*s 
letters,  in  Johnson's  life,  and  in  the  notes  to  Addison's  life 
in   the  "Biograpbia  Britannica,"  written  by  Mr.  JuiHice 
Blackstone,  are  many  particulars  of  tbis  unhappy  quarrel,' 
the  real  cause  of  which  is  not  very  clear.     Every  candid 
reader  will  wish  tbieit  a  charge  of  disingenuity  against  so 
amiable  a  man  as  Addison,  ^could  be  clearly  refuted,  and 
Blackstone  has  made  considerable  progress  in  this.     Pope^s 
biographers  seem  to  think  that  much  cannot  be  learned 
from  the  evidence  of  style,  and  that  this  translation  of  the 
first  book  of  tbe  Iliad  is  more  likely  to  have'  been  written 
by  Tickell  than  by  Addison.     With  bis  usual  frankness  and 
good  nature,  Steele  once  endeavoured  to  reconcile  Pope  and 
-Addison ;  but,  in  the  interview  he  procured,  they  so  bitterly 
upbraiided  each  other  with  envy,  arrogance,  and  ingrati- 
tude, that  they  parted  with  increased  aversion  and  ill-wilL 
Pope  was  chiefly  irritated  at  the  calm  and  contemptuous 
unconcern  with  which  Addison  affected  to  address  him  in 
this  conversation,  and  his  miiid  had  been  alienated  from 
'  Mm  long  before,  owing  to  a  notion  that  Addison  was  jear 
lous  of  bis  fame.  Of  Tickell's  translation  no  more  appeared 
thannhis  first  book;  and  if  we  may  be  permitted  to  add  one 
to  tbe  many  conjectures  already  offered  on  this  subject,  we 
should  say  that  probably  no  more  was  intended,  and  that 
this  specimen  was  published  ratber  to  alarhfi  Pope's  vanity 
than  to  hurt  his  interest  or  bis  fame. 

During  the  publication  of  the  Ui^df  Pope  found  leisure 
to  gratify  his  favourite  passion  of  laying  out  grounds,  which 
he  displayed  with  great  taste  and  judgment  at  his  newly 
purchased  house  at  Twickenham.  This  spot  was  visited 
vid  admired  by  the  first  men  of  thii  couutry,  and  (re* 


P  O  P  £♦  169 

f|QJ&ntly  by  Frederick,  prince  of  W^les,  who  contributed 
some  ornamental  articles ;  and  for  nearly  a  century  it  gon?- 
tinued  to  be  an  object  of  curiosity;  but  in  1807  the  house 
was  entirely  pulled  down,  and  the  grounds,  from  the  many 
alterations  they  have  undergone,  can  no  longer  be  associ- 
ated with  the  taste  and  skill  of  Pope.  Herein  1717  hi* 
father  died,  after  having  lived  to  spend  the  greater  part  of 
the  20^00/.  which  be  acquired  in  trade,  but  which,,  being 
disaffected  to  government,,  he  would  not  trust  in.  any  gf  its 
funds,  and  therefore  he  went  on  consuming  the  principal* 
His  son,  celebrated  him  with  equal  elegance,  tendernesf, 
and  gratitude,  in  the  '*  Epistle  to  Arbuthnot,"  The  yefr 
b^oire  he  had  published  in  folio  atollection  of  all  his  poems, 
with  that  sensible  preface  which  now  usually  stands  at, the 
head:  of  his.  works. 

.  In  1720,  the  publication  of  the  ^^  Iliad*^  was  completed, 
aj»d  in  1721  he  acted  as  editor  of  the  poems  of  his  friend 
Parnell,  to  which,  be  prefixed  the  fine  epistle  to  Lord  Ox- 
ford. .  Pope  loved  money,  and  in  1720  had  been  one  of  the 
adventurers  in  the  South- Sea  scheme,  but  from,  this  be  es^ 
caped  without  being  a  very  great  loser ;  the  sapae  motive, 
though  his  rem'uoeration  did  not  much  exceed  200A  <  in« 
jduced  him  to  become  editor  of  Shakspeare,  for  which  be 
MFas  totally  unfit.  Tonson  wished  to  have  a  good  name  pre* 
•^xed  tp  his  edition,  and  Pope^s  was  , then  the  fir^t^amoiig 
living  poets.  His  labours  were  attacked  by  Theobald,  first 
ia  his  ^^  Shakspeare  Restored,"  and  afterwaifds  in  bis  own 
^edition,  to  which  Warburton  contributed  many  remarks. 
Pope  was  much  mortified  by  this  failure,  but  is  said  to  have 
recovered  his  tranquility  by  reflecting  that  he«  had  a  mind 
.too  great  for  the  petty  employments  of  collators,  commen- 
tators, and  verbal  critics.  It  was  on  this  occasion  that  Mai- 
Jbt  obtained  Pope's  friendship  by  addressing  to  bim^an 
:epUtle  on.  "  Verbal  Criticism."  What  sort  of  friend  Mal- 
'  let  proved  at  lasit,  we  have  already  mentioned  in  our  acr 
count  of  him.  .  \ 

Soon  after  this  Pope  issued  proposals  for  a  translation  of 
.the  ^*  Odyssey ;"  but  of  this  he  pertormed  only  twelve 
books,  namely  the  third,  fifth,  seve^ith,  ninth,  teiith,  thir- 
^  tejsDth^  fourteenth,  fifteenth,  seventeenth,  twenty. first, 
•.twenty-second,,  and  twenty-fourth.  The  rest  were  trans- 
Jated  by  Fenton  and  Bropme,  and  Pope  is  said  to  have 
^iyen  the  Coirmer  three  hundred,  and  the  latter  five  hundred 
...  pounds  for  their  assistance ;  but  as  the  number  of  subscri-- 


170  POPE. 

hen  equalled  that  of  the  Iliad,  bis  own  profits  must  hav» 
been  yerj  cotisriderable.  About  tbis  time  he  was  full  of 
grief  and  anxiety,  on  account  of  the  impeachment  of  his 
friend  bishop  Atterbury,  for  whom  he  seems  to  have  felt 
the  greatest  affection  and  regard;  and  being  summoned 
before  the  Lords  at  the  trial,  to  give  some  account  of  At« 
terbury's  domestic  life  and  employments,  not  being  used  to 
speak  in  a  large  assembly,  he  made  several  blunders  in  the 
few  words  he  had  to'utten  It  is  remarkable  that  the  day 
which  deprived  him  of  Atterbliry,  restored  to  him  anothei 

>  friend,  Bolingbroke,  ,who  continued  in  habits  of  intimacy 
with  him  during  the  whole  of  his  life. 

In  1727,  Swift,  who  had  long  corresponded  with  him^ 
coming  to  England,  joined  with  Pope  in  publishing  in 
4  vols.  8vo,  their  miscellanies  in  prose  and  verse.  To  these 
Pope  wrote  a  preface,  complaining,  among  other  instances, 

.  of  the  ill  usage  he  had  received  from  booksellers,  and  of 
the  liberty  one  of  them  (Curll)  had  taken  in  this  same  year 
to  publish  his  juvenile  letters,  purchased  from  a  Mrs.  Tho« 
mias,  a  mistress  of  his  correspondent  Mr.  Cromwell.  Pope 
bad  been  intimate  with  this  lady  in  his  young  days,  but 
was  now  so  seriously  hurt  at  the  publication  of  his  letters, 
although  he  knew  that  she  did  it  from  distress^  that  he  took 
a  severe  revenge  in  a  poem  called  "  Corinna,"  and  in  the 
'^  Dunciad,''  which  appeared  in  the  following  year.  The 
object  of  this  celebrated  satire  was  to  crush  all  his  adversa- 
ries in  a  mass,  by  one  strong  and  decisive  blow.  Qis  own 
account  of  tbis  attempt  is  very  minutely  related  by  Pope 
himself,  in  a  dedication  which  be  wrote  to  Lord  Middle- 
sex, under  the  name  of  Savage  the  poet,  who  assisted  Pope 
in  finding  out  many  particulars  of  these  adversaries,  [f  we 
may  credit  this  narrative,  Pope  contemplated  his  victory  of^et 
Dunces  with  great  exultation  ;  and  such,  says  0r.  Johnson, 
was  his  delight  in  the  tumult  he  had  raised,  that  for  a  while 
his  natural  sensibility  was  suspended,  and  he  read  re- 
proaches and  invectives  without  emotion,  considering  them 

'only  as  the  necessary  effects  of  that  pain  which  he  rejoiced 
in  having  given.  He  would  not  however  have  long  in- 
dulged tbis  reflection,  if  all  the  persons  he  classed  among 
the  Dunces  bed  possessed  the  spirit  which  animated  some 
of  them.  Pucket  demanded  and  obtained  satisfaction  for 
a  scandalous  imputation  on  bis  moral  character;  and  Aarob 
Hill  expostulated  with  Pope  iu  a  manner  so  much  superior 


P  O  B  B.  171 

<b  all  ^ean  «dlfchati(>ii^  that  Pope  '^  was  reduced  to  siiesk 
and  shuffle,  Sometimes  to  deny,  and  sometimes  to  apolo- 
gize :  be  first  endeavours  to  wound^  and  is  then  afraid  to 
own  that  be  meant  a  blow."  There  are  likewise  some 
names  intfodoced  in  this  poem  with  dis^respect  which  could 
receive  no  injury  from  snob  an  attack.  His  placing  the 
.learned  Beiilley  among  dunces,  conld  have  occurred  to 
Pope  only  in  tbe  moitient  of  bis  maddest  revenge :  Bentiey 
,had  spoken  troth  of  tbe  translation  of  the  Iliad :  be  said  i{t 
was  ^  a  fiwe  poeiti,  but  not  Homer."  This,  which  has  ever 
since  been  the  opinion  of  the  learned  world,  was  not  to  be 
-refated  by  tbe  contemptuous  lines  in  which  Bentiey  is 
tiientioned  in  the  ^  Dunciad."  On  the  other  hand,  the 
real  IKinceS)  who  are  tbe-^majority  in  this  poem,  were  be- 
neath the  notice  of  a  man  who  now  enjoyed  higher  fame 
than  any  poetical  contemporary,  and  greater  popularity, 
and  greater  favour  with  men  of  rank.  But  it  appears  to 
have  been  Pope's  opiuion  that  insignificance  should  be  no 
protection,  that  even  neutrality  should  not  be  safe,  and 
that  whoever  did  not  worship  the  deity  he  had  set  up^ 
should  be  punished.  Accordingly  we  find  in  this  poem 
contemptuous  allusions  to  persons  who  had  given  no  open 
provocation,  and  were  nowise  concerned  in  the  author** 
literary  contests.  The  ^^Dunciad^'  indeed  seems  intended 
as  a  general  retreptacle  for  all  bis  resentments,  just  or  un>- 
just ;  and  we  find  that  in  subsequent  editions  he  altered, 
arranged,  or  added  to  his  stock,  as  he  found,  or  thought  he 
found  new  occasion  ;  and  the  hero  of  tbe  *^  Dunciad,'*  who 
was  at  first  Theobald,  became  at  last  Gibber. 

The  "  Dunciad"  first  appeared  in  1729;  and  two  years 
after.  Pope  produced  his  "^  Epistle  to  Richard  Earl  of 
Burlington,  occasioned  by  his  publishing  Palladio's  designs 
of  the  Baths,  Arches,  Theatres,  &c.  of  aocrent  Rome,  &o,** 
Of  the  merit  of  this  highly«finished  poem,  there  is  no  dif^ 
ference  of  opinion  ;  but  it  gave  rise  to  an  attack  on  Pope's 
private  character  which  was  not  easily  repelled.  Dr.  War« 
ton  says,  ^'The  gang  of  scribblers  immediately  rose  up  to- 
gether, and  accused  him  of  malevolence  and  ingratitude,  in 
having  ridiculed  tbe  house,  gardens,  chapel,  and  dinners, 
of  the  Duke  of  Chandos  at  Canons  (who  had  latety,  as  they 
affirmed,  been  his  benefactor)  under  the  name  of  Timon. 
Be  p^emptorily  and  positively  denied  the  charge,  and 
wrote  an  exculpatory  letter  to  the  Duke^-  with  tbe  asaeve^ 


1T2  POPE. 


1- 


rations  of  which  letter,  as  the  last  Diike  of  Chandos  totj 
me,  his  ancestor  was  not  perfectly  satisfied.'*  It  was  not 
•therefore  the  *^  gang  of  scribblers**  who  brought  this  accu- 
sation^ but  all  the  family  and  connections  of  the  iDuke  of 
Chandos,  and  no  defence  has  yet  been  advanced  which  can 
induce  any  impartial  reader  to  think  the  accusation  unjust. 
What  seems  to  have  injured  Pope  most  at  the  time  was^ 
that  the  excuses  he  offered  were  of  the  same  shuffling  kind 
which  he  employed  in  the  case  of  Aaron  Hill,  and  which, 
wherever  employed,  have  the.  effect  of  doubling  the  guih 
of  the  convict.  This  was  one  of  the.circumstauces  which 
induce  us  to  think  that  Pope  greatly  injured  his  personal 
character  by  the  indiscrimipate  attacks  in  his  '^  Dunciad,*' 
and  by  the  opinion  he  seems  to  have  taken  up  that  no  man 
was  out  of  his  reach. 

In  1732,  Pope  published  his  epistle  ^'Ou  the  use  of 
Riches,**  addressed  to  Lord  Bathtirst,  which  he  has  treated^ 
in  so  masterly  a  way,  as  to  have  almost  exhausted  the  sub- 
ject. His  observation  of  human  life  and  manners  was  in- 
deed most  extensive,  and  his  delineations  most  exact  and 
perfect.  It  is  very  hazardlpus  to  come  after  him  in  any 
subject  of  ethics  which  be  has  handled.  Between  this  year 
A»d  1734,  he  published  the  four  parts  of  his  celebrated 
'^  Essay  on  Man,**  the  only  work  from  his  pen  which  equally 
engaged  the  attention  of  the  moral,  the  theological,  and 
the,  poetical  world.  He  appears  himself  to  have  had  some 
fears  respecting  it,  for  it  appeared  without  his  name,  and 
yet  it  is  wonderful  that  the  style  and  manner  did  not  betray 
him.  AVhen  discovered  it  was  still  read  as  an  excellent 
poem,  abounding  in  splendid  and  striking  sentiments  of 
religion  and  virtue,  until  Crousaz  endeavoured  to  prove,  and 
not  unsuccessfully,  that  it  contained  tenets  more  favourable 
tQ  natural  than  to  revealed  religion.  Crousaz  Was  answered 
hy  a  writer  who  a  considerable  time  before  had  produced 
«and  read  a  dissertation  against  the  doctrines  of  the  **  £ssay 
on  Man,*'  but  now  appeared  as  their  vigorous  defender. 
This  was  the  learned  and  justly  celebrated  Warburton, 
who  wrote  a  series  of  papers  in  the  niontbly  journals  called 
,« The  Republic  of  Letters*'  and  «  The  Works  of  the 
Learned,**  which  were  afterwards  collected  into  a  volume. 
Pope  was  so  delighted  with  this  vindication,  that  he  eagerly 
sought  the  acquaintance  of  Warburton,  and  told  him  be 
understood  his  opinions  better  than  he  did  himself;  which 
may  be  true,  if,  as  commonly  understood,  Bolingbroke 


POPE,  *  in 

fcrnished  those  sobtle  principles  by  which  Pope  at  firsts  and 
his  readers  afterwards,  were  deceived.  The  consequences 
of  this  acquaintance  to  Warburton  were  indeed  momen- . 
tons,  for  Pope  introduced  him  to  Murray,  afterwarids  the 
celebrated  Lord  Mansfield,  by  whose  interest  he  becanoe 
preacher  at  Lincohi's  Inn  ;  and  to  Mr.  Allen,  *^  who  gave 
him  his  niece  aiid  his  estate,  and  by  consequence  a 
Bishopric ;''  and  when  he  died  he  left  him  the  property  of 
his  works. 

Few  pieces,  in  Warton's  opinion,  can  be  found  that,  for 
depth  of  thought  and  penetration  into  the  human  mind  and 
heart,  excel  the  Epistle  to  lord  Cobham,  which  Pope  pub^^ 
Kshedln  1733,  and  which  produced  from  his  lordship  two 
very  sensible  letters  on  the  subjects,  and  characters  intro* 
dnced  in  that  epistle.     In  the  same  year  appeared  the  fir>st 
of  our  author's   Imitations  of  Horace,  and  in  1734,  the 
Epistle  to  Dr.  Arbuthnot,  which  was  considerably  altered. 
It  was  first  called  ^'  A  Prologue  to  the  Satires,'^  and  tbeo' 
^  A  Dialogue."     Pope  did  not  always  write  with  a  decided 
preference  of  form  or  manner,  for  his  admirable  poem  on 
^^The  Use  of  Riches''  he  called  an  epistle  to  lord  Bathurst, 
although  that  nobleman  is  introduced  as  speaking,  and 
speaking  so  insignificantly,    that,  as  Warton  informs  us^ 
he  never  mentioned  the  poem  without  disgust.     Pope's  af- 
fectionate mention  of  his  mother  in  this  Epistle  to  Arbuth^ 
not  must  always  be  quoted  to  his  hono^ur. .   Of  all  his  moral 
quaiitiei$,  filial  affection  was  most  predominant.     He  then^ 
in  L735,  produced  the  Epistle  on  the  ^^  Characters  of  Wo- 
men," in  an  advertisement  to  which  he  asserted  that  no  one 
character  was  drawn  from  life.     Pope  had  already  lost  some 
credit  with  the  public  for  veracity,  and  this  assertion  cer* 
tainly  was  not  believed,  nor  perhaps  did  he  wish  it  to  be 
believed,  for  in  a  note  he  informed  his  readers  that  the 
work  was  imperfect,     because  part    of    his    subject  was 
"  Vice  too  high'.'  to  be  yet  exposed.     This  is  supposed  to 
allude  to  the  character  of  the  first  duchess  of  Marlborough 
under  the  name  of  Atossa^  which  was  inserted  after  her 
death,  in  a  subsequent  edition,  although  Pope  received 
«£lOOO.  from  her  to  suppress  it.     This  is -said  to  rest  on  the 
sole  authority  of  the  late  Horace  Walpole,  lord  Orford  ;  but 
jf  told  by  him  as  we  find  it  in  Warton's  and  Bowles's  edi«- 
tions  of  Pope's  works,  it  confutes  itself.    The  fact  as  they 
relate  it  is,  that  Pope  received  ^1000.  from  the  duchess^ 
promising  on  th^se  terms  to  suppress  the  character,  and 


174  POP  E. 

ibaM  he  fonk^e  mdfteyAnd  then  publislied  it  Bbl  Popi^ 
could  not  have  published  it,  icMr  it  did  not  appear,  accordiBg 
to  Warton's  aeeount,  until  1746,  two  years  after  bis  death ! 
It  oiigbt  then  probably  have  been  found  among  Mn  Pope's 
]dSS.  and  ia^erted  without  any  great  blame  by  those  who 
knew  ootbing  of  the  bargain  with  cbeiluchess,  if  there  was 
ajsren  «uch  a  bangain. 

In  1736  and  1737  he  published  more  of  his  Imitations  of 
Horace,  all  with  his  name,  except  the  one  entitled,  *^  Sober 
Advice  from  floraoe  to  the  yomig  Gisfrtlemen  atoout  town,'^ 
which  he  was  ashamed  to  sueknowLedge  although  he  so&red 
Dodslay  to  publish <it  as  his  own  iu  a  12m0  e<i&ion.  In.tha 
last  nseotioned  year  appealed  an  edition  of  Juis  ^^  Letters^^ 
published  in  4to.  by  a  large  jsubscription.  His  friend  Mr/ 
Allen  of  Bath  had  suc^  an  opinioa  of  Pope  jtbat  be  adrised 
this  publication,  frpm  whicb,  he  said,  <'  a  perfeot  systeoA 
of  morals  might  be  extracted,"  and  OESeced<to  be  attheoost 
of  a.  publication  of  them.  Pope  preferned  Jthe  paibronage 
of  the  public,  but  yet  wanted  some  apology  f(ur  publishing 
bis  own  letitexs.  Dr.  Johnson  relates  where  he  found  that^ 
in  the  following  wofds : 

'^  One  of  the  passages  of  Pope^s  life,  iwhioh  seems  ^o 
deserve  someinquiry,  was  a  publication  of  Letters  between 
him  and  his  friends,  wiiich  falling  into  Ihe  bands  of  Curll, 
a  rapacious  bookseller  of  no  good  fame,  wiere  by  him; 
printed  and  sold.  This  volume  containing  some  lettiera 
from  noblemfin.  Pope  incited  a  prosecution  aga,inst  faini 
in  the  House  of  Lords  for  breach  of  {privilege,  and  attended 
himself  to  stimulate  the  resentment  of  his  .'firiends.  Curll 
appeared  at  the  bar,  and  knowing  himself  in  no  ^danger^ 
spoke  of  Pope  with  very  little  reverence.  '  He  had,'  said 
Curll,  ^  a  knack  ..of  versifying,  but  in  prose  I  .think  myself 
a  match  for  him.'  WJien  the  .orders  of  the  house  weve  -ex-* 
amined,  none  of  them  appeased  to  have  been  infringed: 
durll  went  away  triumphant,  and  Pope  was  left  to  seek 
fiOBoe  other  remedy. 

^^  CurU's  Account  was,  that  one  evening  a  man  in  a  cler^ 
gyman's  gown,  ibut  with  a  lawyer's  iband,  ^brought  and  of- 
iesed  to  sale  a  number  of  printed  volumes,  which  be  found 
to  be  Pope's  epistolary  correspondence  :  that  he  asked  na 
name,  and  .was  told  none,  but  gave  the  price  denumded, 
and  thought  himself  authorized  to  upo  his  purchase  to  hi^ 
own  advantage. — That  Curll  gave  4i  true  account  of  the 
transaction  it  is  reasonable  to  Joelieire,  liecauae  no  fidse- 


.   P  O  P  1.  175 

!kbod  was  ever  yet  detected;  and  'when,  some  years  afteiw 
msadB^  I  mencioned  at  to  Liatot,  the  san  of  Bernard,  be  de*- 
clared  bis  opinion  to  be,  that  Pope  ,kneiv  better  than  any 
body  else  how  Curll  obtained  the  copiesi  because  another; 
parcel  was  at  the  saine  time  sent  to  himself,  for  which  no 
price  had  ever  been  demanded,  as  he  made  known  fata 
resolution  not  to  pay  a  porter,  and  consequently  not  ta 
deal  with  a  naoieleBS  agent. 

'^  S^uch  care  had  been  taken  to  make  them  public,  that 
they  were  sent  at  once  to  two  booksellers ;  to  Curll,  wh« 
was  likely  to  seize  them  as  a  prey ;  and  to  Lintot,  who 
might  be  expected  to  give  Pope  information  of  the  seeming 
injury.  Lintot^  I  believe,  did  nothing;  and  CUirll  did 
what  was  expected.  That  to  make  them  public  was  tha 
only  purpose,  may  be  reasonably  supposed,  because  tho 
nnmbens  offered  to  sale  by  the  private  messenger,  shewed 
that  hope  of  gain-  could  not  have  been  the  motive  of  the 
impression. 

*^  It  seems  thatP€>pe,  being  desirous  of  printing- bis  let* 
lers^  and  «ot  knowing  how  to  do,  without  imputation  of 
vanity,  what  has  in  this  country  been  done  very  rarely^ 
contrived  an  appearance  of  compulsion  :  that,  when  he 
could  c^omplain  that  his  letters^. w^ie  surreptitiously  pnb-^ 
lisbed,  he  might  decently  and  defensively  {rablish  them 
himself.**  ^ 

Soch  was  the  artifice,  which,  however,  was  soon  de^^ 
lected,  for  no  man  could  for  a  moment  doubt  that  the  let- 
ters were  conveyed  to  Curll  by  Pope  himself,  that  he  might 
have  a  pretence  for  an  edition,  which,  being  avowed  by 
himself^  wou^d  obtain  the  preference- over  every  other. 
Could  a  doubt  remain,  it  must  be  removed  by  the  notes  and 
information  respecting  these  letters  in  Mr.  Bowles's  edition 
of  his  works.  .As  to  the  letters  themselves,  Warton  says 
"  tbey  'are  all  over-crowded  with  professions  of  integrity  and 
disinterestedness,  with  trite  reflections  on  contentment^and 
retirement ;  a  disdain  of  greatness  and  courts;  a  oontempt 
of  fame ;  and  an  afFeoted  strain  of  common*plaee morality." 
Affeetatien  indeed 'petvades  the  greater  part  of  the  corre- 
spondence, and  those  objects  are  mentioned  with  the  greater 
disdain,  which  were  the.  objects  of  their  highest  ambition. 

Returning  to  his  more  original  publications.  Pope  now 
issued  -those  two  diabgues  which  were  named,  from  the 
year  in  which  they  appeared,  ^*  Seventeen  hnndred  and 
^thirty  eighty^'  andare^among itbe  bjtterest-of  satipes.    £.very. 


176  POPE* 

species  of  sarcasm  and  mode  of  style  are  here  alternately 
employed ;  ridicule,  reasoning,  irony,  mirth,  seriooaness^ 
lamentation,  laughter,  familiar  imi^ery,  and  high  poetical 
painting.  Although  many,  persons  iu  power  were  highly 
provoked,  he  does  not  appear  to  have  been  very  directly 
menaced  with  a  prosecution ;  but  Paul  Whitehead,  who 
about  this  time  wrote  his  *^  Manners,'*  and  his  publisher 
Dodsley,  were  called  to  an  account,  which  was  supposed  to 
have  been  intended  rather  to  intimidate  Pope,  than  to  pu^ 
Jiish  \Vbitehead,  and  Pope  appears  to  have  taken  the  hint; 
for  be  discontinued  a  Third  Dialogue,  which  he  bad  begun^ 
and  never  afterwards  attempted  to  join  the  patriot  with  the 
poet  He  had  been  led  into  this  by  his  connection  with 
the  prince  of  Wales  and  the  oppobitioo,  but  he  could  not 
have  long  been  of  service  to  them.  Had  tb.ey  come  into 
office,  he  must  have  been  either  silent,  or  ofi'eusive,  for  he 
was  both  a  jacobite  and  a  papist.  Dr.  Jobuson  says  very 
justly  that  he  was  entangled  in  the  opposition  now,  and  had 
forgot  the  prudence  with  which  he  passed,  in  his  earHer 
years,  uninjured  and  .unoffending,  through  much  more 
violent  conflicts  of  faction. 

Ceasing  therefore  from  politics,  for  which .  he  was  so 
uofit,  he  amused  himself,  in  1740,  in  republishing  **  Se^ 
lecta  Carmina  Italorum,*'  taken,  without  acknowledgement, 
frpm  the  collection  called  '^  Anthologia,''  1684,  12mo,  a|«- 
tributed  to  Atterbury,  falsely,  as  Warton  asserts,  but  justly 
according  to  every  other  opinion.  The  work  however  ia 
more  imperfect  than  it^would  have  been  had  he  consulted 
other  collections  of  the  kind.  His  last  performance  shewed 
either  that  his  owp  judgment  was  impaired,  or  that  ha 
yielded  too  easily  to  tbatof  Warburton,  who  now  advised  bioi 
to  write  the  fourth  book  of  the  ^^  Dupciad  ;*'  and  iu  1743  he 
betrayed  a  yet  greater  want  of  judgment  by  printing  a  new 
edition  of  the  Dunciad,  in  which  he  placed  Cibbcr  in  the 
room  of  Theobald,  forgetting  how  opposite  their  charactera- 
were.  He  had  before  this  introduced  Cibber  with  con- 
temptuous mention  in  his  satires,  and  Cibber  resented 
both  insults  in  two  pamphlets  which  gave  Pope  more  unea* 
siness  than  he  was  willing  tp  allow. 

The  time  was  now  approaching,  however,  in  which  all 
bis  contests  were  to  end.  About  the  beginning  of  1 744 
bis  health  and  strength  began  visibly  to  decline.  Besides 
his  constant  head-acibs,  and  severe  rheumatic  pains,  he  had 
been  afflicted^  for  five  years,  with  an  asthfna,  which  waa 


p  OPE.  177 

'  suipected'to  be  occasioned  by  a  dropsy  of  the  breast.  la 
the  mouth  of  May  he  became  dangerously  ill^  and  op  the 
vixth  was  all  day  delirious,  which  he  mentioned  four  day^ 
afterwards  as  a  sufficient  humiliation  of  the  vanity  of  man^ 
be  afterwards  complained  of  seeing  things  as  through  s^ 
curtaihy  and  in  false  colours,  and  one  day  asked  what  arm 
it  was  that  caipe  out  from  the  wall.  He  said  that  his 
greatest  inconvenience  was  inability  to  think.  Bolingbroke 
sooaetiihes  wept  over  him  in  this  state  of  helpless  decay ; 
arid  being  tord  by  Spence,  that  Pope,  at  the  intermission 
of'  his  deliriousness,  was  always  saying  something  kind 
either  of  his  present  or  absent  friends,  and  that  his  huma- 
nity seemed  to  have  survived  his  understanding^  answerc^d^ 
^^  It  has  so  :'*  and  added,  **  I  never  in  my  life  knew  a;  man 
that  had  so  tender  a  heart  for  his  particular  friends,  or 
more  general  friendship  for  mankind.'*  At  another  time  he 
said,  *^  I  have  knoi^n  Pope  these  thirty  years,  and  value 
myself  mor.e  in  his  friendship  than*' — his  grief  then  sup^ 
pressed  bis  voice.  Pope  eicpressed  undoubting  confidence 
of  a  future  state.  Being  asked  by  his  friend  Mr.  Hooke,  a 
papist,  whether  he  would  hot  die  like  his  father  and  mo- 
ther, and  whether  a  priest  should  not  be  called ;  he  an- 
sweredy  *^  I  do  not  think  it  is  essential,  bi^t  it  will  be  very 
right :  and  I  thahk  you  for  putting  me  io  mind  of  it.V  In 
the  morning,  after  the  priest  had  done  his  office,  he  said, 
*^  There  is  nothing  that  is  meritorious  but  virtue  and  friend- 
ship, and  indeed  friendship  itself  is  only  a  part  of  virtue." 
He  died  in  the  evening  of  May  30,  1744,  so  placidly,  that 
the  attendants  did  not  discern  thee^act  time  of  his  expira-* 
tion.  '  He  was  buried  at  Twickenham,  near  hift  father  and 
motherJ  where  a  monument  was  afterwards  erected  to  him 
by-Warburton. 

:  Some  idea  of  Pope's  character  may  be  derived  from  the 
preceding  particulars,  and  more  may  be  learned  from  his 
biographers  Ruffhead,  Johnson,  Warton,  and  Bowles. 
Many  circuQtstances,  however,  still  want  explanation,  al- 
though upon  the  whole  we  cannot  be  said  to  be  ignorant  of 
the  temper  and  character  of~a  man  whose  publications  .and 
quarrels  form  a  great  part  of  the  literary  history,  of  the  first 
half  of  the  eigbte^h  century,  and  of  which  spme  notice 
Ttkdi  been  taken  by  every  journalist,  every  critic,  and  eyery^ 
biographer,  from  his  own  to  the  present  times..  A  large 
volume  niight  be  filled  with  even  a  moderate  account  of 
Vol.  XXV.  N 


Pope^s  contests,  and  less  than  such  a  rolurae  perhaps  would 
'riot  tie  SdftsftttoV^/  "?  ••*  '^'''^ '''  ''  ^'^^'^  •*'  *•  n.3f:ir,.^^ 
'^'''Wetya'^ealri^stdy  copied  an  expression  of  pr.Warton's^ 
that  P6[ie  W^  ini^riattfy'^idd'  sotSy 'i  bbeV'Tro^*  tUe  VegiS- 
»it)gof  b'is4ife  id  ili^  ^nd^'.'kria  Wfe  A^y  Wdd  fVbdi'lh^'^ama 
^Ifegattt'^dritic;  tbit  his'  WhoWliffej  4*d^e^%'Mr  'o*  ft,^iH 
%{bkn^s'  aVid"  in  h^^li^, '  ^i  d^v'bte'cf  miW  ifbr^i^ltd^^  diHi- 
'g«nbdi' td  iMlttvsite  cb^t  on'd  art'Tn  Whii:h  h^  ha^ 
%6 'excel,  Aid-  W  S^BttK'be'dld  WUi."  1?  IJ'tibt'iiJr  irifeV- 
tion,^kowdver,  to^xiiatiae^'irfhikii'erits'a^^i^jSoetV'  '.t^Kat 
kas  been-  idV^Ac^d%  br;  Jbbftioti^Sind^bKmhon  inust 
ifiijperi^ae^^Il-htber  efiTohl ;  \)Ut  v/^  m^O)^  WcntUedf  to  ^e- 
grtt  that-be'  iddcd  -io' HttleH^ tte  « JiiftV it "tiid'lite'rary 
chatatt^,  irid  thdt  tis^i>a:asi6ni'^6r'e  VUfgir  a'nrf  vulffar^ 


fitettj^  WVfengej^nd  no  disctli?rge!  6f  abrltnohy;  beneath  him  ; 
fthd  Vks  dorttinaaHy*end^aVoiirihy;*tA*  drdWotri  Hft'  ifeWtest  by 
ijdadklsb-stratigl^thsUhai8l0'aAifi^^^^  iiy  ji^ocyrly  dis? 


byiiW  wit;  that  evdr'ddigbtM  49 
mnthin  talking  6f"fti^  iiibney.^"In''htJ  letters 'aad  in  his 
poems,'' tife'^gardensf^'And  hft  ^rott6,  'fefs  'dbthcuhi'  and  h$ 
rinesj  t>r'^me  hfnts  of 'his  bbuf^k^,'  Hik  ali^aV^^to  Wl^ound^ 


In  constitution  he  was  constantly  a  valptuclinaiian.  ^is 
pei'sdti  Wa^s if^fbrtn^U;  atid  He'i^d&'sd  feetife  ay'r/bV^t^eable 
tocfrfesi^  br-  iibdtess  Himself  *Wltlttirf'SiSikanbW-''Sucfr*^ 
stat^  of  bddy  genmil^pro'dticei'k  cma1ti^'d6^rfee  of  fi^rita'- 
bility  aritt'p^vishtllefes,  wTiich'th'u^t  tfatbri1fy^^e*t/eitty 

liot- tbri trtpeV  Hte^ffir  &  ibitf  ^ito\  'ih Ti^fe privati  hifeiti^iiM 
daprieroul^  ahd  cigbrisfvle/^nd  wH6e^pelited'tfia^''ev^iir  t!hih^^^ 
sh<>nrd  ^tve^W&y  t8  Ws  *ttfmouV."  ^«^Wb  thtfs  jirbMtril 
cb'ntradietionk; 'anfl  rl^hl^  Motti&adtloh^V  ^roth  vtliic&HS 
might  have  bfeerf  ffee/lt  lie'cJoWtf'KaVe*  lived  dft'^his*  o*n 
^pletredSuVes^of^niurfiAdfaai'fe. '-' '^  ^^'  "  ''''"  '^"  ';   ' 


P  0  P  %  '1V9 

Bat  if  Pope  •crktefd'yneitiles/Ke'alsb'cbmjinale^ 
and  had  afpifeasnt^  ifi«riiimerdting  'ttie  knen  idii^ii  'Mi 
ffiAth  Wbom  be  tcus  atfqdainted,  and  to  gain^ho^e'fiiiVdur'fa^ 
|>^aetiseU  hx>  mettnticfss  or  ^eVvitity.  It  ie  indded  dlo««^ieH 
tint  ^be  tt^ver  flaittei'dd  tbbiie  wboHi  h^  did  hbt'lbVi?,  br 
praised  those  whom  he  did  not  esteem.  And  '^k^  fro&i  his 
jaiiraittres 'and  biis('c4pHciods  faabUsy  be  must  'b±vk  ^en.a 
;rery  diiRKgreeftbte  g^«st,  hfe  ft-eqtient  r6dfeptibn  in  tfab 
immes  and  at  the  tables  of  then  bf  bigb  i^nk  Ts  a  jifbJf 
jdiactbe/e  was  mtldb  in  bfs  chai'actbr  to  ^diiiine  of  eke^ds, 
tmUB;pi«sumptt6n  tbdt  dbtne  of'tht^  failin'gs  wtiich  bav^ 
bebn  *  reported  «rf  b)m  May  haVe  beeh  <exa^gem6d  Uj^  lii^s 
(toeinicfs.  ^'A  tbttfi/*  says  bis  ablest  bib|rHfiber,  '^<  ^ 
MToh  eaahed  sop^iot^tV,  atld  so  Uttte  moderatibn,  Wolitii 
^iktorslty  bave  M  bU  dennqd^bcies  ob^erV^d  sfhd  ^'^gVd- 
taled  :  ttndfihose  Wh6  t6u\A  t16t  deny  that  b^  ^^as  ib^^ciell^ntl 
^/fwiU  ngbice  to  find  ftiat  he  ^air  frot  perfect.*'  tJbfoHii- 
nately  some  of  those  imperfectioDs  wiere  tob  bbVi'du's 'fdi* 
fcoucerfinent.  1Pdp&  ilral»,  lEimdng  otbler  instances,  W&b  all 
htsfdefedts  of  p^ttron,  li  man  of  gallantry,  and  b^sidWHii 
p^^s1|mp>toous  ^tvd  ridiculoirs  loVe  for  lady  Mkty  Wbrtley 
Alontdgae,  oarrried  tm  an  intercourse  Witli  th6  l^ts^^ 
pbuiit^  whfdb  cM^h\^  was  not  of  ^be  PliatonSic  kind. 
From  tfae  accoont  gif^n  by  Mr.  Bbwles;  in  bis  Vbceht  tM 
of  Pope^  ind  ttie  itiei*'  Letters  pablisbed  in  Mr.  ftbxVte^^'^ 
«diUoa  of  bib  ^rtt^,  ho  gr^sii  bbscurity  nbw  rest^  on  th^ 
tiatiif e  of  that  cc/Aliection. 

^  This  transifeitt  )^6tite  of  the  Mr^ses  Blouht  leads  fo  & 
i^emark  tb^t  b6  Wte  liot  alwayi  forttinate  fti  hi^  frie'n^shVps. 
Martha  Blount,  to  whom  be  was  most  iitt^ehed;  des^eVtfed 
khn  in  h]!8  l&st  iHi^^s^;  brid  Bbringbroke,  wh<ynl  )fvk  have 
steci  weeping  over  the  dying  bard^  and  pb'dt'ing  out  th^ 
jtftMnona  of  the 'witfib^t  affection  for  the  A-iehd  h^  v^ds 
about  to  lose,  soon  employed  the  hireling  M^H^t  t6  bliblc'en 
|Vi|ieV  cbarticter  in  tbe  y^r^  article  for  which  be  thought 
btm  tnoBtefltimabi^,  the  (iuHty  drid  honodr  of  his  'frieridships. 
We  hifve  ahr^&dy  ni^tiee^  this  Affair  in  bitr  dbcbuVit  oi 
MaUe^  (vot.^XXl.  p.  195,)  and  ^hall  no^  only  ISrf^fl'y  saV' 
tta%  vkr  l^o^nfs  d^aCb,  it  Wi^  disclbs^d  io  Loi^d'  Biiliri^- 
brokier  by  Miiltbt>  H^a  bad  hU  ihfbrthatloti  iVbik^  £  UHHte^, 
th«l  Pope  bitd  priht^d  ah  editibii  of  ib^  l^ss^^  bri  d  ^^Pk- 
4lriot'Kiiig/'  Bilt,  a^^  tli^e  h^^  bfi^ri  rtiutb  ib!^6(ibb^titioii 
addlnitreprfs^ht^tioh  te^p^bting ttitkaffiafit', W^^r^  ii£ii)^y  Vo^ 
be  able^  in  this  place,  to  state  the  circumstances  atteilara^ 

N  2 


lip  POP  E. 

it  on  unquestionable  authorityi  that  of  a  gentleman  to 
'whom  the  following  particulars  were  more  than  once  r0^' 
lated  by  the  late  earlof  Marchmont,  and  who,  besides  the 
obliging  communication  of  them,  has  conferred  the  addi;- 
.tfonal  favour  of  permitting  us  to  use  his  name^  the  Right 
Hon.  George  Rose. 

''  The  Essay  (on  the  Patriot  King)  was  undertaken  at 
the  pressing  instance  of  lord  Cornbury,  very  warmly  supf^ 
ported  by  the  earnest  entreaties  of  lord  Marchmont,  witk 
which ,  lord  Bolingbroke  at  length  complied.  When  it 
was  written,  it  was  shewn  to  the  two  lords,  and  one  otheir 
confidential  friend^  who  were  so  much  pleased  with  it^  that 
•  they  did  not  cease  their  importunities  to  have  it  published^ 
till  his  lordship,  after  much  hesitation,  consented  -  ta  print 
it;  with  a  positive  determination,  however,  against  a  pob<^ 
lication  at  that  time,  assigning,  as  his  reason,  that  the  work 
was  not  finished  in  such  a  way  aft  he  wished  it  to  be^  before 
jit  went  into  the  world. 

''Conformably  to  that  determination,  some  copies  of 
the  Essay  were  printed,  which  were  distributed  to  lord 
Combury,  lord  Marchmont,  sir  William  Wyndham,  Mr. 
Lyttelton,  Mr.  Pope,  and  lord  Chesterfield;  one  only 
having  been  reserved*  Mr.  Pope  put  bis  copy  into  the 
hands  of  Mr.  Allen,  of  Prior  Park,  near  Bath,  stating  to^ 
him  the  injunction  of  lord  Bolingbroke ;  but  that  gentle-^ 
man  was  so  captivated  with  it  as  to  press*  Mr.  Pope  to  allow 
him  to  print  a  small  impression  at  his  own  expense,  using 
such  caution  as  should  effectually  prevent  a  single  cop^ 
getting  into  the  possession  of  any  one,  till  the  consent  of 
the  author  should  be  obtained. 

''  Under  a  solemn  engagement  to  that  effect,  Mr.  Popet 
very  reluctantly  consented  :  the  edition  was  then  printed/ 
packed  up,  and  deposited  in  a  separate  warehouse,-  of 
which  Mr.  Pope  had  the  key. 

''  On  the  circumstance  being  made  known  to  lord  Be« 
lingbroke,  who  was  then  a  guest  in  his  own  house  at  Bat-^ 
tersea  with  lord  Marchmont,  to  whom  he  bad  lent  it  for  two 
-or  three  years,  his  lordship  was  in  great  indignation ;.  to 
appease  which,  lord  Marchmont  sent  Mr.  Grevenkop  (a 
German  gentleman  who  had  travelled  with  him,  and  was 
afterwards  in  the  household  of  lord  Chesterfield  when: lord 
lieutenant  of  Ireland,)  to  bring  out  the  whole  edition,  oB 
which  a  bonfire  was  instantly  made  on  the  terrace  at  Bat^ 
teraea." 


P  O  P  E.  -  181 

r'Tbisf  pUin  unTarnidfaed  tale,  our  readers  will  probajbly 
think,  tends  very  much  to  strengthen  the  vindication  which 
W«rburton  offered  for  his  deceased  friend^  although  he 
wttn  ignorant  of  the  concern  Alien  had  in  the  matter ;  but 
it  will  be  di65cult>to  find  an  excuse  for  BolingbroW,  who/ 
forgetting  the  honourable  mention  of  him  in  Pope's  wiii| 
a:thing  quite  incoqapatible  with  any  hostile  intention  ]to- 
ivards  him,  could  employ  such  a  man  as  Mallet  to  blast  the 
memory  of  Pope  by  telling  a  tale  of  "breach  of  felthj*' 
with  every  malicious  iiggravation,  and  artfully  concealing 
what  be  must  have  krtown,  since  lord  Marchmdnt  knew  it, 
tbe  share  Allen  had  in  the  edition  of  the  Patriot  Kin sf. 
.Of  tbe  editions  of  Pope's  works,  it  is  unnecessary  to 
mj^ntion  any  other  thatt  those  of  Warburton,  and  Johnson 
(the  poems  only),  Warton,  and  the  recent .  one  by  Mr. 
Bowles,  which  contains  many  additional  letters  and  docu- 
ments illustrative  of  Pope's  character  and  connections.* 

POPE  (Sir  Thomas),  founder  of  Trinity  college.  Ox- 
ford,  was  born  at  Dedington,  in  Oxfordshire,  about  the 
year  1508.  His  parents  were  William  and  Margaret  Pope, 
tbd  daughter  of  Edmund  Yate,  of  Stanlake,  in  Oxford- 
sfalre.  Shei  was  the  second  wife  of  our  founder's  father, 
aitd  after  his  death  in  1523,  was  again  married  to.  John 
Bnstarde,  of  Adderbury,  in  the  same  county,  whom  she  sur« 
vived^  and  died  in  1557.  The  circumstances  of  the  family^ 
if  not  opulent,  were  *^  decent  and  creditable.'* 

Thomas  was  educated  at  the  school  of  Banbury,  kept  by  ^ 
Thiomas   Stanbridge,    of   Magdalen  college,  an  eminent 
tutor,  and  was  thence  removed   to   Eton   college,  from 
which  he  ifs  supposed  to  have,  gone  to  Gray's  Inn,  where 

Je  studied  the  law.  Of  his  progress  at  the  bar  we  have  ho 
ccount ;  but  bis  talents  must  have  discovered  themselves  at 
an  early  period,  and  have  recommended  him  to  the  notice 
of  his  sovereign,  as  in  October  1533,  when  be  was  only 
tw'enty^seven  years  old,  he  was  constituted  by  letters-pa- 
tent of  Henry  Vlll.  clerk  of  the  briefs  of  the  star-chamber 
at'Westminster,  and  the  same  month  received  a  revei*sionary 
grant  of  the  office  of  clerk  of  the  crown  in  Chancery.  Of 
this  last  he  soon  after  became  possessed,  with  an  annual  fee 
of' twenty  pounds  from  tbe  hanaper,  and  also  a  robe  with 
fur  at  the  feast  of  Christniias  and  Pentecost,  from  tbe  king^s 

.  i  Joboson,  WartoD,  and  Bowles's  Uvei. — D*Israeli  has  an  excellent  chapter 
•to  P^pe'tf  Quarrels  in  his  **  QuarieU  of  Authors.'" — I2iug.  Brit.  &c.  &a»  &c. 


1^  POPE. 

gr^pt  w,nf4TfhG*     Two.  y^Ks  ajfte^,  in  Noven4>^- 1 63  ? j ; Ire 

agCji  iQ  t^e,  Tpwje;:  of  Lpnclori,  which  hip  biographer,  thmk** 
h^.qpiU<?fl  ajjpqf:: eight  ypf^^  aft^r  for  ^qm^.vfptfi,  valiiah)^,^ 
pr^f^lpiQi^iX^^.   T^  saoiie  year  he  feceiyed^a,  parent  for  a  apwr^ , 
co^t  of^aj-Qr^s^itp^.DjB  DOf^Jei  by  hion  wd  hi«  pi^^rityi  wfeict^ 
•rejhQ?^  of,  Triqitycpite^^    Io.Oc.tober.l53ft,  bqx^c^iv^,, 
th|^^,bQjfip.ifr.(\f  knighthpod^  at;.thes^Q^^  m;ith,  Hefirjy^.. 

Hbwiard,  a/terw^rd^.tb)?  galJant  and  upfprtui^afe  €;9ifL  o£;* 
Si^ijrey,^    Id,  D^cepjber,.  he  was  appointed^  tou  efpfgf'iH^,, 
joiqtl^, with  .Wiliiarn-Smy the,  th^  offijce  of^  c|ei:k,p£  all  tb^^. 
briefs  fn .  tbp  ^tar-cbf(p(ibef  jblK  Wesiqin«|er,     In  Bebr  l^3^k 
b^  .ottt^iji^d  a^  his^ojyn  tnstanc^t  ajn^^^VayaljJicei3we,f<)r 
enferqsing  the  o6Bf;^  of  clerk^of  tbe.crowpjQxpxi^uQCijpi^^ 

with,  Jqhn  X-Mpa^^  afterwards  an  eminent  crowJ?  law^^F  *^- 
the^reign  of,  Edward  yj. 

Sopie,  ottbe^e  apppintments^:  it  is,,p4pb?^ble,.  be.pvKed;(Q^tf 
Sir.,T^oiiias|  JVfpre,  wi^b  w^ooi  be  ,wp  parly  ,a€jci4^ii^ ted,  and 
sojcpj^  t^n'ofd  Apdley,  hqi\}  Jor^.chaiiceyojjj;  ^h\i^  ip,153a,  ,. 
he  receu;e4!, one. of  greater  importance,,  being  coiysti^vtefl  by, 
the,  kingji^  trppqrer  pf  thcj.comrtpf  ap^a^f;nta|i9n$ pii.its /5r$j^ 
establ^sljinent  by  act  of  pg^rliaq^ep^.,    The^,biisijje;§s^  of  ibif» . , 
cdui[t  ,wa^  tq^sMma^^tbe  lan^s  of  tbe,dis;iiQlved  .mouas^ic;^ , 
vested  J  n,th^crpwp,.  repeiye,  tU^r  reyenu^e^,.  and^  s^JLth^- 
monastic  po^si^ss^pns  for  .the.J^ipoj's  service,;  a^  it  wa^^sO: 
called  frbni  the  increase,  w^'icb  the. rQyaL,reveai^^ 
c^iy«4''   Tb.e,.trea^irsr's  oi35>c^'  w^a  a.p9&tjo(  coj^^eraWc 
prpfit,  and  ^  of  cpnsiderahie  digoityy:  as  the  pe^sPjU  bpjji^i^g  ^ 
it  ranted  with  th^  principal  officers  of,st^,.and  vvas  prir.  , 
vifege^d  to,  rqtaia  in  hi?  bpuseja  chaplain^  ii^,yii^g«bf|i)ebce.,, 
with  cqre  of  souls, r  who  should  not  bf  conapellc^ytb  r^-r 
de^nc^...   Wh^t,  the, emoluments,  of. this  pffice.,wer^,,  is,po|:.; 
so^,  clear,  but. they  were  greater  than  the  allowaujci^  of  sir  ,. 
Jphn  Williams,  treasurer  in  Edward  Vlth's  reiffn,.  who  .bad  ; 
320f.  yearly  :  and  it  may  be  supposed  the.offic^e  g%v^  tbpse^., , 
advantages  in.  the  purchase,  of  the  dissQlvqd.  possfssio9a,.j 
which  probably  formed  the  foundation  of  £i^  Thpipaajf.  ?aft^.^ 
fortyne... 

He  held  th^$  pffige  for  five  years,  aad  during  thskt^jlini^;, , 
was  appointed  master,  or  treasurer,  of ,  the^ewe|pbo4)3e».Vi'  ., 
the  Tower.     In  1^46.  the  court  of  auKmentatipnSi  was  dis^t,. 

ved,  and  a  new  establishment  on  a  more  confined  plan 
substituted.  In  this  sir  Thomas  Pppe  was  nominated  mas- 
ter of  the  woods  of  the  court  on  this  side  the  rirer  Trent^    ' 


I*  OPE.  1S» 


in tergst^  ^^^  tl%  jibing  thaft  .^ejp^?  ,tbe  pr^«^r^ipQ  .ftf  |bd) 

^ii)i?^W8,l>efn|^p^  pf  ti^e  v4?|jor^  ei^Bl9yftd,in  ^^e  general, 
dissi^utipip, '4t  is  cerm^j  fj^  bis.jipHpensjR  |c)i;tMpe.4ro«ei 
f^optt;\*jhat  .gi^^^  hjii^^  aft^  dlwrte4  bi^i 

t^o^ughts  frofl}  ^p,regulj^y  ,jpjr95^3ippj  of,  tb^  J^w, ..  Befei^J 

1^556,  he^^ppifar?  t?  Mv^^lv^SR  ^fuall35fl<W8eps^d)9Jf  WPi^e^. 
tbigih  tbfrt^  WiW?rs  i^/te,,9pup4^,pf.P*fofid,  *,QJlouc^$t§f^., 

other  considerable  ^(;^^^p(}i'^T#'^t^,^4^^^*¥^'    (Sof^pjTi 
thesp  ,]pp^s^f^opi^w%^,mp^Mif^  l>yJUenfy  XJHc  but  the 
greyest  pi^rt  w^^p(j44;i^«  I^|>j^r9b9?p  ,?(|iiteiLh9  W.ai^  Wi^-i 
n^cte^  ^^i^9<^li^  ,S^uf  ^  ^  ^i^l^i^^T^^tioDS,  and  many  of  bis 
•states >y^je^ug|^f, of giiee^^M^^^^       .„     l»,,ui;rf  ^.;/.   ^u 

ewployed|^in.  .yario^  p^m^e^,  j^^4,att^<Jp9eB^,  a):^t  cQurt,  i 
buiijn  tfOfi^pf^^of^  affefijin^  imfi;9$tif:^fan^wh«n  I|f$ulvaftjL 
se'nt^  by  th^l^ipg  t0|i5;fofi9..^is,^fl\4,^i^d,^^^^^ 
Thoina^.|k(^ore,  9f,,t^^.^hoj|^..^Boi9Jte4  ,f<>r  hisrfXi^ipiJ^^ 
(^^  MpK^fi  ..Qp  tbj;  ac9^^i9p  c^  ?4i«W»  VJt^,^  b#i«W 
not  of,  tfi^  rj9t9Bfijie4jrgpgioa,  sijr  '?!|wMpws  J^ppct^jre^^ed 
no  f?Jvour  oj^  x^qe,;jl^vt^ij?jiep,a^^ 


.1 
i 


a  ppinini^siQnj  fpf  tt^ci-mpr^^pffep^Hal  ^upprej^pnojf^^etios^'  [ 
in  concert  witb  B99n^f  and.9t|iersi,  bpt  Jji^  Rgiid^^ 
the  princess  (^fterwafdjp  q^een).  Cliff be^^wa^  pl^e4:ttAd^j 
bis  care  in  ^555^  wasiar  qppr^  tq  his  ,9fe4ifc  *.4f^r  hf^^^gli 
beeii  ionprisbpea, iQ  ^l^e  '^Q^fir  ^ud  ^^  WQpd^ackf^tshe.waiS. « 
permitted  ^y,ter.j(?filous  sister  tp  retire  ^wit]^^sir^T,bpf«aa./ 
Popp  to  katj^ercfrhou^ie^  ii^  P^lrtfpr^sh^re,  l^^n  afroy*l|M|r.;i 

lacq,  whejje  be.sl^ejye^  ber  everyjnarjk  pfre^pcpt  fbaj  i^ajL  t 
cqnsi$ten^  w^tb  tbe-  pati^r^f/d^bls  qliargey  .^pd  niqrj^  thsm 
could  bave  been  expected  fropi-pne  of  .bis;  rigid  ^(Jber^ice.  > 
to  tlje  reigninjg  politics^     After  a  residence  bef^pf  foUti| 
years,  sbe  was  raisexit  to  tbe  tbrone  on  tbe  death  of  her 


184  POPE. 

.    .  .        •  • 

sister  .Marjr,  Nor.  17,  1558,  aiid  on  this  occasion  sir  Tb^ 
mas  does  not  appear  to  have  been  contiriued  in  the  privy* 
council,  nor  bad  be  afterwards  any  concetn  in  political 
transactions.     He  did  not,  indeed,  survive  the  accession, 
of  Elizabeth  above  a  year,  as  he  died  Jan.  29, 1559,  at  bis 
house  in  Cierkenwell,  which  was  part  of  the  dissolved  mo««,. 
nastery  there.     No  circunistances  of  his  illness  or  death 
have -been  discovered.     Mr.  Warton  is  inclined  to  think  1 
that  he  was  carried  off  by  a  pestilential  fever,  which  raged 
with  uncommon  violence  in  the  autumn  of  15 53.     He  wa* 
interred,  in  great  state,  in  the  parish  church. of  St.  Ste* 
pben*s,Walbropk,  where  his  second  wife,Margaret;  had  been   , 
before  buried,  and  his  daughtier  Alice.   *'But  in  1567  ttieir^. 
bodies  were  rednoved  to  the  chapel  of  Trinity  college,  and 
again  interred  on  the  north  side  of  the  altar  under  a  tomb 
of  gothic  workmanship,  on  which  are  the  recumbent  Bgures  . 
of  sir  Thomas  tn   complete  armour,  and  his. third  wiifQ   , 
Elizabeth,  large  as  the  life,  in  alabaster. 
^  Sir  Thomas  Pope  was  tb rice  married.    His  first  wife  was 
Elizabeth  Guhston,  from 'whom  be  was  divorced  July  1 1„ 
L536i     His  second  was  Margaret  Dodtner,.  wido^^  to  whom   , 
he  was  married  July  17,  1536^.     Her  maiden  name  was 
Townsend,  a  native' of  Stamford  in  Lincoloshire,  and  the    . 
relict  of  Ralph  Dodmer,  knight,  sberifF  and  lord-mayor  of  . 
London.    By  sir  Thomas  Pope  she  had  only  one  daughter^ 
Alice^'  who  .died  very  young,  but  she  bad  two  sons  by  heir  . 
former  husband,  whom  sir  TbonGias  treated  as  his  own.  ,She  . 
died  in  153a,  after  which,  in  1540,  he  ;married  Elizabeth 
the  daughter  of  Walter  Blount,  esq.  .of  Blount's  Hall,  in 
StaiFordshire.  .  She  was  at  that  time  the  widow  of  Anthony  *  . 
Basford,  or  Beresford,  esq  of  Bently,  in  Derbyshire,  by 
whom  she  had  one  son,  but  no  childrien  by  sir  Thomas 
Pope.     After  Sir  Thomas's  death  she  married  sir  Hugh 
Powlett,  of  Hinton  St.  George,  in  Somersetshire,  the  son 
of  sir  Amiais  Powlett,  who  was  confined  iti  the  Temple  by 
the  order  of  cardinal  Wolsey.     Sir  Hugh  joined  heT  cor- 
dially in  her  regard  and  attentions  to  the  college,  of  which  , 
she  was  now  styled  the  foundress:     She  died  at  an  ad- 
vanced age,  Oct  27,  1593,  at  Tyttenhanger,  in  Hertford- 
shire, the  favourite  seat  of  sir  Thomas  Pope,  and  was  in-^ 
terred,  in  solemn  pomp,  in  the  chapel  of  Trinity  college. 

Mr.  Warton's  character  of  sir  Thomas  Pope  must  not  be 
omitted,  as  it  is  the  result  of  a  careful  examination  of  hi^    ^ 
public  and  private  conduct.    He  appears  to  have  been  a   * 


.   V 


POPE.'  1«5' 

ni|Hi  eminently  qtialified  for  business;  and  althougli  not 
^ployed  in  the  very  principal  departments  of  state,  be 
possessed  peculiar  talents  and  address  for  tbe  management . 
and  execution  of  public  affairs.     His  natural  abilities  were 
strong,  bis  knowledge  of  the  world  deep  and  extensive,  bit , 
judgment  solid  and  discerning.     His  circumspection  and 
prudence  in  the  conduct  of  negociations  entrusted  to  bis  . 
cbarge,  were  equalled  by  bis  fidelity  and   perseverance*. 
IJe  is  a  conspicuous  instance  of  one,  not  bred  to  the  church, . 
wl^o,  without  the  advantages  of  birth  and  patrimony,  by  the 
force   of  understanding  and  industry,  raised  himself  to  > 
opulence  and  honourable  employments.     He  lived  in  an , 
a^e  when  the  peculiar  circumstances  of  the  times  afforded 
oqvious  temptations  to  the  most  abject  desertion  of  prin- 
ciple ;  and  few  periods  of  our  history  can  be  found  which  . 
exhibit  more  numerous  examples  of  occasional  compliance  . 
with  frequent. changes.     Yet  he  remained  unbiassed  and 
uncorrupted  amid  the  general  depravity.     Under  Henry 
VIII.  when  on  the  dissolution  of  the  monasteries  he  was  . 
enabled  by  the  opportunities  of  his  situation  to  enrich  him- 
self with  their  revenues  by  fraudulent  or  oppressive  prac- 
tices, he  behaved  with  disinterested   integrity ;  nor  does  . 
a.  single  instance  occur  upon   record   which  impeaches 
bis  honour.   ^  In  the  succeeding  reign  of  Edward  VI.  a  sud-  , 
den  check  was  given  to  bis  career  of  popularity  and  pros- 
perity ;  he  retained  his  original  attachment  to  the  catholic 
religion  ;.and  on  that  account  lost  those  marks  of  favour 
or  distinction  which  were  so   liberally  dispensed  to  the 
sycophants  of  Somerset,  and  which  he  might  have  easily 
secured  by  a  temporary  submission  to  the  reigning  system. 
At  the  accession  of  Mary  be  was  restored  to  favour ;  yet 
he  was  never  instrumental  or  active  in  the  tyrannies  of  that 
qvieen  which  disgrace  our  annals.     He  was  armed  with  dis- 
cretionary powers  for  the  suppression  of  heretical  innova- 
tions ;  yet  he  forbore  to  gratify  the  arbitrary  demands  of 
his  bigoted  mistress  to  their  utmost  extent,  nor  would  he 
participate  in  forwarding  the  barbarities  of  her  bloody  per- 
secutions.    In  the  guardianship  of  the  princess  Elizabeth, 
tbe  unhappy  victim  of  united  superstition,  jealousy,  re- 
venge^ and  cruelty,  his  humanity  prevailed  over  his  interest, 
arid  be  less  regarded  the  displeasure  of  the  vigilant  and  un- 
forgiving queen,  than  the  claims  of  injured  innocence.     If 
it  be  his  crime  to  have  accumulated  riches,  let  it  be  re- 
meogibered,  that  he  consecrated  a  part  of  thpse  riches,  ncrt 


9lMA  ^  the  terrors  of  a'd^tfa-bed/  irbr*  in  tSe*drfea^ilt>Y  oHP 
a^e,  but  inf'  the  prime  of  life,  and  the'  yigoiit o^uMi^iJ* 
standing;  to  t&e^  pubKc  service  of  bid  country^;*  thfath^ 
gkie  them  to  future'  generations  for  the  perlietuafsA^'^^l^t^ 
of  literature  and  relijgion. 

•  Str  TTibmas  Pope^is  certainly  in  the  prirte  of  Hf^'WEeA' ^ 
lafb  determined  to  found  a  college,  the  nebesii^tj^  of  wlii'<ih^ 
was  to  him' apparent,  fromr-tbe  actual  state^of 'the' uhiver-* 
sity,  and'the'  increasing  zeal' for  literatui'e,  wbiiih ^ hatl  i A^ 
less  than  half  a*' ccnttriry  produced  three  new  c6llegferf  in'^ 
Oxford,  and  four  in- Cambridge.  Like  soth'e  of  the  oiB^t^ 
Idafnfed 'of  his'  predecessors  in  these  mtihiftc^l?' acts;  he** 
siw  the  necessity  of  providing  far  classical  itterature,'  'afid^ 
his  teacher  of  humanity,  is  specially  enjoined  to  inspire  bi^^ 
scholars  with  a  just  taste  for  the  graces;  of  th^'Lattn'  lan*"^ 
gfaage,  and  to'explain  critically  the  works  of  Cicero;  Qdih^  * 
titian,  Aulus  Gellius,  Plautus^  Terence,  Virgil,  Horace, ' 
tivy,  and  Ludan/  From  these  and  otHer  iftjutictidns  re- ' 
specting  the  same  subject,  it  may  be -infemd^  that'af- 
though  Mr.  Warton  has  not  made  it  a  promineht  feature  iti^^ 
hts  character^  the  founder's  'acquaintance^  with  clasdd^f  * 
learning  was  not  inferior  to  his  other  accompltshnfients. 

"The  site  chosen  for  his  new foundatibriVai' a^ this  time^ 
occupied'  by  Durham  'college,  which  Edwttrd  VI.  granted ^^ 
td  George  Owen,  of  Godstowe,  the  king^  physictaby  a^ 
man  of  great  learning  and  eminence,  and  William''Mariy/i,*'> 
gentleman,  in  1552;  and  sir  Thomas*  ptfrchised.  tb^'pFe- * 
mises  of  these  genilemeri  by"  indenture  dated  Feb.  20, 1 554.*' 
<Jn  March  8,  arid  March  28,  he  obtained  from*  *Phi%  * 
and  Mafy  a  royal  licence  and  charter  to  create  and  erect  a  ^ 
college  within  the  university  of  Oxford,  under  the  title  of'^ 

CoLLEGiaM  SANCTiE  ET  INBIVIDU^  TrINITATIS  IN  UNIVER-' 

sitate  Oxon.  ex  fundatione  THOMiE  Pope  miutis.  '  The  ' 
sdciety  was  to  consist  6f  a  president,  a  priest,  twelVe  fel-  * 
lows,  four  of  whom  shotiid'be  priests,  and 'eight^sdbolkr^^  ^ 
(afterwards  increased  to  twelve)  and  the  whole  to  be  Hberatly  ' 
aifd  amply  endowed  with  certain  manors,  lands,  and'  re^  • 
venues.  They  were  to  be  elected  out  of  thediocbiie  ai^d '^ 
pbcW  where  the  college'  hsts" benefices,'  mftnors,  or  W-  ' 
venues,  mbre  particularly  in  Oxfordshire,  Gioubfestelrsttrei  ' 
tVarwickshire,  Derbyshire,  Bedfordshire,  Hertfordstere,^  *^ 
aifd  Kent  The  same  charter  empowered  him  to  foiind  "^ 
aifdeiidbw  a  school  at'Hokenorton,  in  Oxfordirfaire;  to*  )»e  ' 
called  Jesus iSchciekouse:  un&  to\grve  statdtes  both  to  th^e^*' 


^<lil9ge«  ttad  to^  tlM» » first !  aod .  steand  nnwVtnr)  of  iiie'dtiii>' 
9c^mi,    ApcLby  <Waid^  daled  MliAcb  ^^ftj  t  i  d  Si^  hes^fadhndd 
his.  nctval  er^dioiit  aiMk  e6taWii|fa«leiit  of^tfae  l  saidvcdlfege^' 
aQdtt^t^;8Wiffdftjriddivtered'^)MM*sm   hcforeia^^itt^tcmiw 
€ojurs«  of  wiuie$509^  ta  Um^^  preaideoii  f  ftUo«i«)^nd  seb6kiM« 
Ii|^41aj^'foU«wiag( Jb«r«i&ppii(dil^>  bisr  colleg^^witW  Mces9a;riet( 
at>di  i|Dpj<wi»Bte  of  every  kiiifd«::badka|tfurnhure' for  thef^ 
chf^p^y.oC-  tb^  iBO^  co»tty  kind$,aind'*nett  yeatrhct.triiiitB;«' 
mU^ed- arbody  olsuuatea^o^tbeisoci^tjrv  diM;ed»Mey}l^li5iMi'i 
Tiiqse  st^Miie^  he  ba«i'8id>niHed<>tOjtberei^i9ioti  of  caffdinalV' 
Pple» .  from^  i  wJiom  >  his  received  /  soittevaluftble  -  bin  ts.:?    Oofi 
tli4^8tb  of  (he^aoiecinontb;  .Mayi  sbd  gavethem  one^fauti**^' 
dijed  ppmids  asra^stQck  for*  immediate'povposea ;  .aoditbe^ 
eodo^'^^^i^i^Vby  thirty -five  maoons^  thirteen  advoirsoatE','  be^  - 
sid^siippropriations  aqd  p^miobs^iwasi  coinpIetedt<bifore,:^ 
oriu|>pn,-,tbe^  feasit  of  Aniiaoeiationy  ini  thesame-y^ar ;  alid*  * 
tbe  first  president,  felfows  add^sebolars,  nouiinatedfby  hinx** 
sed^.  w^rehforiually  (admitted  witbin  <the"chapd{^  A&y  Sd, 
on  tbe  eve :  of  Trinity  >Sunday^    Duriog'  his"  Itfe^tiaie;*  the*'' 
£^qder  n<munated.tbe  f^UowsaodaeboUrs^^andafter^avds^ 
dotegaled;  thei  power  to  biat  widotv^Mdame .'  EKaabelb^  of^ 
nQQiinatiogvtbe  scholars^  >aad  presentingito  .the  radvd^soif^ 
af)d  tbis.«be  cQtHinued  to  exoreise  during  .her  long  life^  .bdt  ^ 
wit^  sofiie  inlerruptiOcis^  aad  isome^  opppsii;ioii.:    O^i^onft' 
OQcasioo'tbe  college  rejjected  ber  nominatioo  to  a  «cbplar-i 
shig^Mtad  .cboiaa>  another  candidate^  but  ontan  itappcfeil  id  ' 
tbf^ yis^itdr^  Jbe  decided  tin  iber;  fa^oon     She  som^imes  nko  ^ 
nqminai^d.  the  fellows,  ,and  onoe  a  f>resstdeqt;     Bot-  both 
sbi&aQd  bqr  btiisliaady  sir  HugblPowlett;  were  solib^htfrrd  - 
pQMotual  in  falfillifig  therfoufides^s  indentions,  andin  con-- 
trU>iHi»g -to ttbe  prosperity  of  the'college,^  that  «be  wtts-in^ 
goi^esral  obeyied  with  respect  and  gratitude;^ 

OnSt*  jSmtbin'4  day,' July  15^  1^56,  tbe  foaitdei^  visited  ' 
hia  coUeg^^.  ^aecaoapahied  iby  the  bishops  of '^Winchester- 
and  Elyj;  Wbyte and  Thirlbj^  and  other  etDioeiit  personages] 
wto'.wese'eiHertainedsaaiptitoti^  in.  tbe  >haM;  thewbolia^' 
eiq^oaes  o£  whicb  wenet^tidsby  him  to;  the  b^jrsar  on  the  ^ 
saine  day#  <    Nor.  wsia  tim  -a  stngultamact  of  litx^rality^'  for  it  - 
appears  :thiil>  daring  liiarTbie^idae  he  paid  alt  the  university 
e3qpeaoaB<i>(;.degieie9$.  regencies, .and  determinatiionsv  -for 
the  fellows  and  scholars.'  He: also  continued  to  se>ndiva^> 
TioMfr.Klicdeasof  rieb  farokore  Anr  the  ctiapebaod  hati^  and 
a  great  quantity  of  valua.ble  plate,  and  made  considerable 
additiotts  tor- the'-perimrnt^  errddmnent,  by  new  fevetiues 


1»8.  F  O  P  E. 

far.  five  obits  or  dirges,  yectrlj?  to  be  sung  ahd  celebHited  ^ 
as  festivals  in  bis  college.  About  the  same  time  he  founded'  * 
four  additional  scholarships,  from  the  endowment  of  the  ' 
school  intended  to  have  been  Established  at  Hokenorton,  ^ 
but  which  intention  he  now  abandoned,  thinking  it  more  '\ 
beneficial  to  the  public  to  increase  the  number  of  scholars  - 
.in  the  university.     In  December  1557,  he  announced  his  * 
intention  of  building  a  house  at  Garsington,  near  Oxford,  ' 
to  which  the  society  might  retire  in  time  of  the  plague. 
This  was  built  after  his  death,  pursuant  to  his  wiH,  in  a 
quadrangular  form ;  and  it  appears  from  the  college  books  '^ 
li»at  they  took  refuge  herein  1570-1,  and  again  in  1577. 
Oo  the  former  occasion  they  were  visited  by  sir  Hugh  -' 
Powlett.     At  this  bouse  they  performed  the  same  exer<>  -^ 
cises,  both  of  learning  and  devotion,  as  when  in  college. 
In.  1563,  before  this  house  was  completed,  they  retired,  '- 
during  a  plague,  to  Woodstock.^  - 

.POPE  (Walter),  a  man  of  wit  and  learning  irt  the  se*^  * 
venteenth  century,  was  born  at  Fawsley  in  Northampton-^ 
shire,  in  what  year  is  not  mentioned.     He  was  half  brother  - 
to  Dr.  John  Wilkins,  bishop  of  Chester,  by  the  mother^s   ' 
«ide.     He  was  admitted  of  Trinity  college,  Cambridge,-  iii  - - 
1 645,  but  is  supposed  for  some  reason  to  have  left  that  soon*;  * 
for  Wadham  college,  Oxford,  where  he  obtained  a  scho- 
Jarship,  and  took  the  degree  of  B.  A.  July  6,  1649.     In'/ 
July  165r  the  parliamentary  visitors  admitted  him  probti*--  ' 
tioner  fellow,  although  he  does  not  appear  to  have  been;  of  ' 
their  principles,  and  in  the  same  month  he  commenced- 
master  of .  arts.     In  1658,  while  he  served  the  office  of ' - 
junior  proctor,  a  controversy  took  place  respecting  the ' . 
wearing  of  caps  and  hoods^  which  the  reigning  party  con«   ' 
sidered  as  reliquesof  popery,  and  therefore  wished  to  abo^'  . 
lish  the  statute  which  enjoined  them.     This  he  contrived 
to  oppose  with  so  much  success  that  all  the  power  of  the' 
republicans  was  not  sufficient  to  carry  the  point,  and  these    • 
articles  of  dress  continued  to  be  worn  until  the  restoration.    - 
Of  this  affair,  which  he  calls  ''  the  most  glorious  action  of-  * 
his  life,'*  he  has  given  a  full  account  in   his  Life  of  Dn   ' 
Ward,  bishop  of  Salisbury,  and  expresses  his  displeasure    * 
that  Antony  Wood  should,  in  his  "  Annals,"  have  passed^  * 
over  an  event  so  honourable  tohim. 

Towards  the  end  of  the  above  year,  1658^  and  before  "*  « 

at  •  •  •  •  • 

1  W«rtoo'0  Life  of  »r  Thomaa  Pope.— Cluilmer«*s  flitt;  of  Offorjd,  ^.  ^ .  _ 


;p  o  p  E.  IS* 

•Utt-^proctorsbip  expired,  he  obtaiaed  leave'  to  travel,  but 
reiurned  probably  before  1660,  as  we  then  find  him  dean 
pfWadbam. college ;  and  when,  in  the  same  year  Mr.  (after* 
wards,  sir) :  Christopher  Wren  resigned  the  professorship 
of  astronomy  in  Gresham  college,  Mr.  Pope  was  chosen  :iii 
Ilia  room,,  atid  Sept«,  12  of  that  year  was  created  doctor  of 
physic  ;  but  the  statutes  not  permitting  him  to  hold  both^ 
he  was  obliged  on  this  occasion  to  resign  his  fellowship  in 
JlVadbam.  In  May  1663  he  was  chosen  one  of  the  first 
fellows  of  the  Royal  Society  along  with  the  other  eminent 
men*  whom  .the  nation  then  yielded,  and  soon  after,  had 
licence  to  travel  for  two  years,  during  which  he  made  the 
tour  of  Italy,  and  remitted  to  the  Royal  Society  various 
observations  collected  on  his  journey.  In  1667  he  was 
chosen  into  the  council  of  the  Royal  Society,  and  in  the 
following  year,  his  half-brother  Dn  Wilkins,  being  pro- 
moted to  the  bishopric  of  Chester,  made  hkn  registrar  of 
that  diocese.  In  16'86  he  was  recovered  of  an  inflamma- 
tion in  his  eyes,  whicb  endangered  the  loss  of  sight,  by 
Dr.  Turbervile^  an  eminent  oculist,  as  he  gratefully  ac-* 
knowledged  in  an  epitaph  which  he  wrote  upon  him  after 
his  death.  ^  In  the  following  year  be  resigned  his  Gresham. 
professorship. 

.  Dr.  Pope  was  a  man  of  humour  and  a  satirist,  and  in 
both  characters  had  published  in  1670  the  ^*  Memoirs  of 
Mons.-Du  Vail^ :  with  his  last  speech  and  epitaph."  Du 
Yall  was  a  notorious  highwayman^  who  was  hanged  in  1669 
at  Tyburn,  and'  having  been  much  admired  and  bewailed 
by  the  ladies,  our  author  by  this  piece  of  biography  en* 
deavoured  to  cure  them  of  such  weakness  or  aflPectation, 
and  ^o'  direct  their  esteem  to  more  worthy  objects.  In 
1693, ,  he  published  his  well-known  song  called  *^  The 
Wish,",  or:**  The  Old  Man's  Wish,"  which  may  be  seen  in* 
Mr.  Niobols's  collection  of  Miscellany  Poems,  and  perhaps. 
in '^very  collection  of  English  songs.  Vincent  Bourne 
wrote  a  beautiful  imitation  of  it  in  Latin.  This  wish  seems, 
to  have  been  in  some  -  measure  accomplished  -  in-  bis  own 
.ca#e,  for  in  his  life  of  bishop  Ward,  published  in  1697,  he 
teys,  **  I  thank  God,  I  am  arrived  to  a  good  old  age  without 
gdut,  orstoiie,  with  my  external  senses  but  little  decayed ; 
and  my  intellectuals,  tho'  none  of  the  best,  yet  as  good  as 
ever  :tbeyf  were/'  .  In  the  following  year  he  was  involved  in 
a  tedious  law-suit,  which  gave  him  much  uneasiness,  but 
what  the  subject  was,  his  biogjrapher  has  not  discovered. 


<9D  t*  D  T  IE, 

Jo  J699^f](l^ilMraw  ham  the  iRoijnal  '8ociet^^^«8t|gfDiii||r 
wwBy  \BrohMy  toivetive  into  tbe  country^  Arid  iecijo^rffainMehP 
io  ^ociie  neapeetsmgreedbJy  ,to  bia  ^  Widi.**    >^cocdlrngljf 
bfiiSfifint  smicb  df  his  time -aftervrards  at  Epsotn,  'InitAt  iasa 
tetded  in  Eunbill  fiekk,  .^eti  a«abui?b  ioT  London,  urbeti^ 
lie  diedy'in  aTerj;advianced  age,  in:  June  l*714,.fand'W8^ 
)>ttried  iacihcicbuvcfa  of 'St.^Giies's  Crippleg^e. 
.    lie  fliaiataiaed  an  intinate  feiendsbip  vmhtvo^teiyvnri^' 
Bent  and  bearned  men,  Mr.  Roake  and  Br^  Batrow;  ^tit»hi^ 
greatest  friend  and  pa^on,  next  to  his  brother  bishop'  WSk 
kioB,  WM  Dr.  Seth  Ward,  bishop  of  ^liaboiy,  fwfabBe  tUte 
be  MTote,  and  from  whom  he  bad  a  p«mion  of  iO(tf.  %  year^ 
His  intimaoy  with  ibis  e!xceilent  prelate  seems  to  cbdtntdict 
the  character  Anthony  Wood  givevoFbin,  ^athe  led  ^an 
*^  Epacurean  aodibeatbenish  tife,^  but  cbece  wafe  eene  eaose 
of  qq^rrel ^between  Wood  and  Dr.  Pop^,  and  the  foraier,.w^ 
know,  w^  too  apt  to  put  bis  resentments  in 'wmiDg;  JPope 
was  a  man  of  wit  as  well  as  learning,  bbt  ceriMniy  ttidt  tt 
eorreet  or  elegant  wrtter«    He  was  a  ^^ood  .French  a»d  ha-s 
lian  scholar,  aad  well  aoqaaiiMMxl  also  with  the  Spanisb 
language.     In  tbe  Philosophical  Transactions  (April  IM5)^ 
is  by  him  f^  Extract  of  a  letter  from  Vjenioe  ita  Dr.  Wrifcins; 
concerning  the  mines  of  mercury  in  Friaii,  &a"  and  '^Ob^^ 
servatioQS  oaade  at  London  upon  an  edipse  of  the-i^an, 
June  82,  ]:€66/'     His  Other  woAb  are,  ^f  The'  Memoirs  o# 
Mons.  Dtt  YalV  menticnicd  abore^  Lond.  l&IOf  4to;  -^T^' 
the  Memory  of  die  most  renowned  Du  V«aU,  a^  Piadari^ 
Ode,''  ibid.  t671»  4to^  said  in  tbe  title  to  be  written  by^ 
Butler,  and  since  printed  among  bis  ^^  Remmis,"  and  ki- 
bis  '<  Works."*  Dr.  Pope  wrote  aUo  ^Tbe  Caoholit:  Baikrd,'*> 
and  other  verses,  which  are  inserted  in  Mr.  Nicho)s*0  Col*^* 
fection  ;  **  Select  Novels,^'  161^4,'  from  the  Spanisb  of  C^f^-^ 
vantes  and  tbe  Italtan  of  Petrareb ;  ^'  lUoeal  and  Politteaf 
Fables,  ancient  and  modern,*'  ibid.  |j6M,  8va     But  hia 
most  use&l  publication  is  ^<The  Life  of  the  Right  Hevr 
Setfa,  Lord  Bishop  of  Salisbopy,'*  a  small  volume  printed' 
at  London  in'  1497,  wfaieh  contains:  ma»y  aneodotes  of  thaft' 
prelate's  contemporaries^  Wilkins^   Barraw,  Rooke^  Tavw 
betvdlle^  tpo;     Dr.  Thos.  Wood^  a  aivilian,  and  t^Mtitu  '<^ 
Ant.  Wood,  pnbliflbed  some  severe  aniflffiSihreMions  onthia 
lifie  In  what  he  entitled:^  Air  Appeffdii&>4o  the  UA^i  &e.  tiv 
ai  Letter  re  the  Authov,^a.t'  i€br7,  ifsaib,  but*^s  isiniial^ 
moiie  aeane' than  the  otberl*'.* 

.  •....,»t.  r\  .'■ 

1  Ward's  Gretham  Prafanori.'— ^b.  Ox.  t«L  ^•-^Hiokn^'g  PoeiM. 


P  O  P  H  A  ]\f,  :  Ipl 

,P^OPfHAM  (^iji  Jop^)^  ^n  E;nglwh  la«y^r.of  ep^injwi^p, 

was  the.eui^st.son  qf  E^Wjard  Pophaai,  lesq.  of  ^up^w^nh 

iniSbmers^etsbirp^^  pnd  .bom  in  1>3.1.     lle.was^ome  time^a 

.■student  at  B^aliol  coU^ge , in  Oxford,  bqing.tl^eji,  fts  Wpoid 

My^9  ^jgiYcp  aj  ,l^ij5ui:,e  hpur^s  to  manly  sports  apd  €xercUes« 

^w  ben  lie  removed  to  tbe  Middle  Temple,  he  .is  wd  at  &^t 

to  have  ^ed^^^dii^pated  Jifc,  Nbut  emptying  .dilijgently  /ifter- 

'^wards  totbesitijay  ox  tbe  law,  Jbe  i^Qse  to  9ome  of  hs  highest 

onpu^s..    He  ws^s  qiade  secjeaqt  ^t  law  about  157Q,  «oU-> 

citor-gepiprj^  in,lf>79,  .a^d  attorney  •general  in  168l,;wbe>v 

he  also  bqr$  tb^  officp  of  treiisjurer  of  tb^  Middle  Tenopl^. 

"tfi  1^92,  h^  was  p/pmoted  to  tbe  rank  of  chief  j|39ltiic^..<;if 

^thecouiritqf  king'srt^^nch ;  not  of  the  common  j)leaf^,a|]i, 

fi^o^i  sqmp  expressions  of  his  own,  has  been  erroneoii^sly 

^Supposed,  and  at  tbe  it^me  time  he  was  ^Digbted.     |o  .l60fL 

tie  was  one  of  the  J^v^y^s  d^tain^d  by  tbe  linfortqnate  ^fl 

of  jE^ssex,  iwh^n  )ie  formed  tbe  absurd  prcgect  of  4^Q4i4^^ 

himself  in  l;iis  tiQu^e  ^  and  oio  the  earPs  yr\^  gave  ,^v^dei|c^ 

lagain^t  Hipii  r^^atixe  ^tQ  Uieir  d^ent^cyi:     fie  dif  d  in  i6iyj^ 

it  tbe  age  of  s^y^ejpty-si'x,  and  lyas  buried  at  WelHipg-toi?  ifi 

ijis  ns^tiye  poqntr^,  wher^  be  bad  f  Ip^^ys  raided  a^  ipMfs^  . 

as  his  iyocatiopb  yvoi^Id  pejrmit.     He  wf^s  e^^en(ied  ^  s^v^er^ 

Judge  in  th^  (jase  of  I'obhters ;  but  b^s  severity  was  w^JIt 

tim^d,  asitV^di^c^d  the  jnumber  .of  highwaymen,  wl^.b/^? 

iifte  ^adi^  greatly  Jnfesjted  the  cou^.try.     If  Aubrey  na^y  Ije 

credited,  his  general  character  ^•as  lial^le  to  naaoy  $eripu» 

i^xceptions.    llis  wor^^  are,  !•  ^^  R^pprts  and  Cases,  a^d^^* 

judged  m  the  time  of  queen  Elizabeth,"  London,  16^6,  fol« 

^.  ^'Resolutions  and  Ju()gements  upon  Cases  and  Mattery 

agitated  in  all  tl)e  Cdiijrts  ^t  Wejstmiouster  in  tk^  Is^tter  end 

of  queen  Elizabeth,"  London,  4to.     Both  lord  Holt  an4 

chief  justice  Hy4^  considered  the  Reports  aef  of  po  autho- 

"  PpRCApCHI  (Thomas),  a  learned  Italian  ojf  the  six- 
teenth 'century,  was  bor,n  at  Castiglione  A^^Uno.  While 
^ident^at  Venice  in  15.59,  be  assisted  in  makine  a  coUec-^ 
fion  of  all  th^  Oreek  histpriaos,  or  annalists,  from  whose 

Greelf 
licli 

tYate  the  greater.     Porcacchi  was  likewise  editor  or  tran$^ 

'  Ath.  Ox.  vol.  I.— I^loyd's  State  Worthies. — Letters  hy  pqnmeot  Venot^p 
with  tbe  Aubrey  MSS.  181 3>  ^  vols.  dVa.-^Fuller^s  Worthies:— BV%eEp»Q> 

Mgal  Bibliog#«iWiy;  ''  '^  ^ 


\^2  P  O  R  C  A  C  C  H  I- 

lalor  of  Pompoiiius  Mela,  Quintus  Cuttius,  and  ti.riou« 
other  authors,  and  published  some  original  works  iii  poetry, 
history,  antiquities,  and  geography.  The  most  valued  of 
these  is  his  *^  Funerali  antichi  di  divert!  popttli,  &c.^* 
Venice,  1574,  4to,  the  plates  of  which  are  very  fine.  He 
died  in  1585.^ 

PORCELLUS,  or  PORCELLIO  (Peter),  a  Neapo- 
litan of  the  fifteenth  century,  is  said  to  have  been  a  swine- 
herd in  bis  youth,  fro6i  which  circumstance  he  had  the 
'Dame  of  Porcellus.  He  was  born  about  1400,  and  there* 
fbre  could  not  haVe  lived  in  the  time  of  Petrarch,  as  Vos- 
sius  and  Bailtet  have  asserted.  How  be  emerged  from  ofat- 
scurity  is  not  known,  but  it  is  certain  that  he  calls  himself 
secretary  to  the  king  of  Naples,  and  was  much  esteemed  bjr 
Frederic,  duke  of  Urbino,  a  celebrated  general,  who  died 
•1482.  He  was  also  in  the  Venetian  army  in  1452,  which 
gave  him  occasion  to  write  the  history  of  count  James  Pici- 
nini,  who  fought  for  the  Venetians  at  his  own  expehce,  and 
not  only  honoured  Porcellus  with  his  esteem,  but  lodged 
*bim  in  bis  house,  and  admitted  him  ddly  to  his  table.  Mu« 
ratori  published  this  fragment  of  history,'  1?3I,  in  vol.  XX 
of  his  historical  collections.  He  had  written  a  supplement 
to  it  which  remains  in  MS.  and  some  Epigrams,  in  a  simple 
and  natural  style,  which  were  printed  with  other  Italian 
poems,  Paris,  1539,  8vo.     He  died  some  time  after  1452.f 

PORC HERON  (David  PLAcmE),  a  learned  Benedictine^ 
was  born  in  1652,  at  Cbateauroux  in  Berry.  He  was  well 
acquainted  with  languages,  history,  geography,  heraldry,  and 
medals ;  and  had  the  office  of  librarian  in  the  abbey  of  St* 
Germain-des-Prez,  where  he  died,  February  14,  1695^ 
aged  42.  He  published  an  edition  of  the  '^  Maxims  for  the 
Education  of  a  young  Nobleman,"  1690,  after  having,  cor* 
rected  the  language,  and  added  a  translation  of  the  empe- 
ror Basilius  the  Macedonian's  instruction  to  his  son  Leo, 
with  the  lives  of  those  two  princes.  An  edition  of  the. 
^  Geography  of  the  Anonymous  Author  of  Ravenna,*'  was 
tilso  published  by  him  at  Paris,  1688,  8vo.  with  curious  and 
learned  notes ;  a  work  very  useful  for  the  geography  of 
the  middle  ages,  as  this  anonymous  author  lived  in  the, 
7th  century.  He  also  assisted  in  the  new  edition  of  St.. 
Hilary.* 

1  Niceron,  toI.XXXTV.— Moreri«— >Tir«ib9fehi. 

*  Jioferi.^B«iUet.--Dict.  HbU  >  Moreri.— Diet  l|»t.  ^ 


P  O  R  D  E  N  O  N  E.  IVM 

PORDENONE  (John  Antony  Licinius),  kDown  by  the 
formlr  name,  from  the  village  of  Pordenone,  about  twenty* 
five  miles  from  Uctino,  in  which  he  was  born  in  1484,  had  a/ 
^strong  talent  for  historical  painting,  which  he  carried  to  a 
higti  degree  of  perfection,  without  any  other  aid  than  the 
'careful  study  of  the  works  of  Giorgione.  He  painted  at 
first  in  fresco,  but  afterwards  in  oil,  and  was  particularly 
distinguished  by  his  skill  in  foreshortening  his  figures.  His 
invention  was  fertile,  his  taste  good,  his  colouring  not 
unlike  that  of  Titian,  and  his  designs  had  the  merit  of 
uniting  force  aad  ease.  A  strong  emulation  subsisted  be- 
tween him  and  Titian ;  and  it  is  certainly  no  small  merit  thfit 
lie  was  able  to  sustain  any  competition  with  such  a  master. 
It  is  said,  however,  that  they  who  endeavoured  to  suppbct 
liim  in  this  rivalship,  were  actuated  by  malignity  aiTd  envy^ 
towards  Titian.  It  is  related  also,  that  when  he  worked  in  the 
^ame  town  with  Titian,  he  was  so  afraid  of  the  effects  of  his 
jealousy,  that  he  never  walked  out  without  arms  offensive 
and  defensive.  Pordenone  painted  at  Genoa  f6r  prince 
Doria,  but  did  not  there  give  entire  satisfaction ;  he  then 
returned  to  Venice,  and  was  afterwards  invited  to  Ferrara 
by  the  duke  of  that  state,  from  whom  he  received  many 
signal  marks  of  favour  and  esteem.  He  died  in  1540,  at 
the  age  of  fifty-six,  and  his  death  has  been  by  some  anthers 
attributed  to  poison  given  by  some  painters  at  Ferrara,  jea- 
lous of  the  distinctions  he  received  at  court  The  most 
considerable  picture  which  Rome  possesses  of  him,  is  that 
with  the  portraits  of  his  family,  in  the  palace  Borghese. 
But  perhaps  his  most  splendid  work  in  oil  is  the  altar-piece, 
at  S.  Maria  dell'  Orto,  at  Venice,  which  represents  a  S. 
Lorenzo  Giustiniani,  surrounded  by  other  saints,  among 
whom  a  9t.  John  Baptist  surprises  no  less  by  correctness  of 
forms,  than  a  St.  Augustin  by  a  boldness  of  foreshortening 
which  makes  his  arm  start  from  the  canvas. 

The  frescoes  of  Pordenone  are  spread  over  the  towns  and 
eastles  of  Friuli ;  some  are  found  at  Mantua,  Genoa,  Ve-^ 
nice,  but  the  best-preserved  ones  are  at  Piacenza  and  Cre-* 
mona.  In  these  he  is  not  always  equal,  but  all  bear  marks 
of  innate  vigour  and  bold  conception  ;  of  a  mind,  as  eager 
fo  form  as  to  resolve  difficulties  in  variety  of  .expression^ 
singularity  of  perspective,  novelty  of  fore-shortening,  aQ4 
magic  resources  of  chiaroscuro.  He  had  an  iniitatoT 
in  Bernardino  Licinio,  who  from  the  surname  may  be  sup* 
posed  to  have  been  related  to  him :  and  Sandrart  mentions^  in 

Vol.  XXV.  O 


194  P  O  R  D  E  N  O  N  E. 

a  bigh  strain  qf  praise,  Giulio  Licinio  de  Pordenonei .  as 
his  nephew  and  scholar;  who,  according  to  that  author,' 
quitted  Venice,  and  left  frescoes  of  extraordinary  beantjr* 
at  Augsburg.^ 

FORE'E  (Charles),  a  zealous  and  learned  Jesuit,  was^ 
born  in  1675,  at  Vendees,  near  Caen,  and  after  pu/siiing: 
his  theological  studies  at  Paris,  in  1708,  he  was  nominated^ 
to  the  chair  of  rhetoric  in  the  college  of  Louis  le  Grand^ 
which  he  filled  with  great  diligeuce,  success,  and  reputa- 
tion, for  thirty-three  years,  and  formed  many  pupils  that 
did  honour  to  the  instructions  of  their  master.  He  died  iu 
1741,  at  the  age  of  sixty-six*  His  writings  are  nuknerous, 
chiefly  in  the  Latin  language :  there  are  two  ''  Collections 
of  Harangues,^'  published  in  1735  and  1747.;  also  six  Latin 
tragedies  and  five  Latin,  comedies.  He  was  also  author  of 
several  fugitive  pieces  in  prose  and  verse.  He  had. a  bro^ 
ther,  Charles  Gabriel,  who  died  in  1770,  at  the  age  of  S5,- 
a  considerable  writer,  but  known  principally  for  a  work  en-> 
titled  "  Nouvelles  Literaires  de  Caen,**  in  3.  vols«  8.vo^ 
being  a  collection  of  pieces  in  prose  and  verse,  written  by 
the  academicians  of  that  city,  and  also  for  *^  Forty-foqv 
Dissertations  on  different  subjects,**  read  before  thb  aca-* 
demy  of  Caen,  of  which  he  was  a  member  more  than  thirty, 
years.* 

PORPHYRIUS,  a  philosopher  of  great  name  among,  the 
ancients,  was  born  A.D.  233,  in  the  reign  of  Alexander 
Severus.  He  was  of  Tyre,  and  had  the  name  of  Malchus^ 
in  common  with  his  father,  who  was  a  Syrophoeniciani  St^ 
Jerome  and  St.  Augustin  have  called  him  Bataneotes; 
whence  Fabricius  suspects,  that  the  real  place  of  his  nati-t 
yity  was  Batanea,  a  town  of  Syria ;  and  that  he  was  carried 
thence  wit^l  a  colony  to  Tyre..  His  father  very  early,  in^ 
troduced  him  to  the  study  of  literature  and  philosophy  un-* 
det  the  Christian  preceptor  Origen,  probably  while  be  was 
teaching  at  Caesarea  in  Palestine.  He  then  went  to  Athens, 
where  he  had  the  famdus  Longinus  for  his  master  in  the* 
toric,  'who  changed  his  Syrian  name  Malchds,  as  not  very 
pleafttng  to  Grecian  ears,,  into  that  of  -  Porphyrias,  which 
ansiyers  to  it  in  Greek.^  It  is  in  a  great  measure^owing  to 
this  able  teacher^  that  we  find  so  many  proofs. of  eruditioo^ 
and  so  much  elegance  of  style,  in  the  writings  of  Porphy<t 
ritts^'*  From  this^time^  we  have  little  information  ooncerim 

J  Pilkingtoi— D'irgenvUle,  rol  1.  .^  Moreri.— Diet,  Hist. 


PORPHTRIUa 


195 


ilig  him  ontil  his  proceeded  to  Rome,  where,  at  thirty  yean 
oF  age,  he  heard  Plotinus,  whose  life  he  has  written,  and 
inserted  in.  it  many  particulars  concerning  himself*.     Five 
years  after,  he  went  to  reside  at  Lilybseum  in  Sicily,  on 
which  account  he  is  sometimes  called  Siculus  :  and  here> 
as  Ettsebius  and  Jerome  relate,  he  composed  those  famous 
books  against  the  Christians,  which,  for  the  name  and  aui 
thority  of  the  man,  and  for  the  acuteness  and  learning  wittL 
which  they  were  written,  were  afterwards  thought  so  con- 
siderable, as  to  be  suppressed  by  particular  edicts,  under 
the  reigns  of  Constantine  and  Theodosius.     Some  have 
surmised,  that  these  books  are  still  extant,  and  secretly  pre** 
served  in  the  Duke  of  Tuscany's  library  ;  but  there  is  little 
doubt  that  they  were  destroyed  by  the  mistaken  zeal  of  the 
Christians,     The  circumstances  of  Porphyrius's  life,  after 
his  arrival  in  Sicily,  are  little  known  ;  except  that  he  died 
at  Rome,  towards  the  end  of  Dioclesian's  reign,  abont  the 
year  304.      Some    have  imagined  that  he    was    in  the 
early  part  of  bis  life  a  Christian,  but  afterwards,  through 
flpme  disgust  or  other,  deserted  that  profession,  and  became 
its  decided  enemy  ;  while^  others  have  hinted,  that  he  em- 
braced Christianity  when  he  was  old,  and  after  he  had  writ*- 
ten  with  great  acrimony  against  it ;  but  for  neither  of  these 
opinions  is  there  any  good  authority. 

Porphyrins  wrote  a  great  number  of  books,  the  far  greater 
part  of  which  have  perished.  Some  have  wished  that  his 
books  against  the  Christians  bad  come  down  to  us,  because 
they  are  firmly  persuaded  that,  among  innumerable  blas^ 
phemies  against  Christ  and  his  religion,  which  might  easily 
have  been  confuted,  many  admirable  things  would  have 
been  found.      We   doubt,    however,  whether  the  world 


*  **  porphyrins  was  six  years  a  diligent 
studeot  of  the  Eclectic  system;  and 
became  so  entirely  attached  to  his  mas- 
ter, and  so  perfectly  acquainted  with 
hit  doctrine,  that  Plotinus  esteemed 
him  one  of  the  greatest  ornaments  of 
his  school,  and  fi^neiitly  Muplnyed 
him  in  refuting  the  objections  of  hit 
opponents,  and  in  explaining  to  his 
yonnger  p«ipils  the  more  difficiilt  parts 
of  hit  writings  :  he  even  intrusted  him 
with  ^he  charge  of  methodising  and 
cofrectinfp  his  works.  The  fanatical 
spirit  of  the  philosophy,  to  which  Por- 
phyrias addiotedhimselffConcurred  with 
^  nataral  propensity  towards  oeltn- 


choly  to  produce  a  resohition.  which  hte 
formed  about  the  thirty-sixth  year  of 
his  age,  of  putting  an  end  to  his  life  ; 
purposing  hereby,     according  to  thfe 
Platonic  doctrine,  to  release  hia   soul 
from  her  wretchjpd^  prison,  the  body. 
From  this  mad  design  he  was,  howcTet, 
dissuaded  by  his  roaster,  who  advisea 
him  to  divert  his  melancholy  by  takin^p 
a  journey  to  Sicily,  to  risU  his  friend 
Probus,  an  acconiplUbed  and  excellent 
man,  who  lived  near  LilybsBum.     Poiw 
phyrius  followed  the  advice  of  Plotmus, 
and  recovered  the  tigour  and  tmquiU 
lity  of  his  mind."     Bruckei^ 


03 


196  P  O  R  P  H  Y  R  I  U  S. 

would  have  reaped  any  great  benefit  from  these,  since  nei- 
ther his  judgment  nor  his  integrity  was  equal  to  his  learn « 
ing ;  and  neither  the  splendour  of  his  diction,  nor  the  va-> 
riety  of  his  reading,  can  atone  for  the  credulity  or  the  dis- 
Jionesty,  which  fill  the  narrative  parts  of  his  works  with  so 
many  extravagant  tales ;  or  interest  the  judicious  reader 
in  the  abstruse^ubtleties,  and  mystical  flights  of  bis  philoso-* 
phical  writings.  Of  his  works  which  remain,  the  four  follow- 
ing, ^^  De  abstinentia  ab  esu  animalium  ;''  "  De  vita  Pytha^ 
gorae  ;"  "  Seotentiae  ad  intelligibilia  tlucentes  ;'*  "  De 
Antro  Nymphorum  ;"  with  a  fragment  "  De.  Styge,'*  pre- 
served by  StobsBus,  were  printed  at  Cambridge  in  1655, 
8vo,  with  a  Latin  version,  and  the  Life  of  Porphyry  sub- 
joined, by  Lucas  Holstenius.  The  **  Life  of  Pythagoras," 
which,  however,  is  but  a  fragment,  has  since  been  published 
by  Kusterus,  at  Amsterdam,  1707,  in  4to,  in  conjunction 
with  that  written  by  Jamblichus,  who  was  a  disciple  of  this 
philosopher.  It  should  have  been  observed,  that  the  above 
pieces  of  Pythagoras,  '.printed  at  Cambridge,  were  pub- 
lished jointly  with  Epictetus  and  Arrian^s  Commentary, 
and  the  Tabula  Cebetis.  His  treatise  '*  De  Antro  Nympho- 
rum'' was  reprinted  in  Greek  and  Latin,  with  notes,  by 
R.  M.Van  Goens,  at  Utrecht  in  1765,  4to ;  and  Jac.  de 
Rhoer  published  a  new  edition  of  the  treatise  <*  De  Absti- 
nentia'^ at  the  same  place  in  1767.^ 

PORSON  (Richard),  a  late  eminent  Greek  scholar  and 
most  accomplished  critic,  was  born  at  East  Ruston,  in  Nor- 
folk, Dec.  25 f  1759,  and  was  first  initiated  in  knowledge  bj 
bis  father,  Mr.  Huggin  Porson,  the  parish-clerk  of  East' 
Ruston,  who,  though  in  humble  life,  and  without  the  ad- 
vantages himself  of  early  education,  laid  the  basis  of  his 
son's  unparalleled  acquirements.  From  the  earliest  dawn 
of  intellect,  Mr.  Porson  began  the  task  of  fixing  the  atten-- 
tion  of  his  children,  three  sons  and  a  daughter;  and  he 
had  taught  Richard,  his  eldest  son,  all  the  common  rules 
of  arithmetic,  without  the  use  of  a  book  or  slate,  pen  or 
pencil,  up  to  the  cube  root,  before  he  was  nine  years  of 
age.  The  memory  was  thus  incessantly  exercised  ;  and  by 
this  early  habit  of  solving  a  question  in  arithmetic,  he  ac- 
quired such  a  talent  of  close  and  intense  thinking,  and  such 
a  power  of  arranging  every  operation  that  occupied  his 
thought,  as  inrprocess  of  time  to  render  the  most  difficult 

1  Brocker. — Caye,— Lardaer's  Work8,-?»SaxiJ  Ooomast. 


i 

i 


P  O  R  S  O  N.  197 

problems,  which  to  other  men  required  the  assistance  of 
written  iigureS|  easy  to  the  retentive  faculties  of  his  me- 
mory. He  was  initiated  in  letters  by  a  process  equally  ef- 
ficacious, and  which  somewhat  resembled  Dr.  BelFs  admi- 
rable plan.  His  father  taught  him  to  read  and  write  at  one 
and  the  same  time.  He  drew  the  form  of  the  letter  either 
with  chalk  on  a  board,  or  with  the  finger  in  sand ;  and 
Richard  was  made  at  once  to  understand  and  imitate  the 
impression.  As  soon  as  he  could  speak  he  could  trace  the 
letters ;  and  this  exercise  delighting  his  fancy,  an  ardour 
of  imitating  whatever  was  put  before  him  was  excited  to 
such  a  degree  that  the  walls  of  the  house  were  covered 
with  characters  delineated  with  great  neatness  and  fidelity. 
At  nine  years  of  age,  he  and  his  youngest  brother,  Tho- 
mas, were  sent  to  the  village  school,  kept  by  a  Mr.  Sum- 
mers, a  plain  but  intelligent  man,  who  having  bad  the 
misfortune  in  infancy  to  cripple  his  left  hand,  was  educated 
for  the  purpose  of  teaching,  and  he  discharged  his  duties 
with  the  most  exemplary  attention.  He  professed  nothing. 
beyond  English,  writing,  and  arithmetic ;  but  he  was  a 
good  accountant,  and  an  excellent  writing-master.  He 
perfected  Mr.  Richard  Porson  in  that  delightful  talent 
of  writing,  in  which  he  so  peculiarly  excelled  ;  but  which 
we  are  doubtful  whether  to  consider  as  an  advantage,  or 
a  detriment  to  him,  in  his  progress  through  life.  It  cer- 
tainly had  a  considerable  influence  on  his  habits,  and  made 
him  devote  many  precious  moments  in  copying,  which 
might  have  been  better  employed  in  composition.  It  has 
been  the  means,  however,  of  enriching  his  library  with  an- 
notations, in  a  text  the  most  beautiful,  and  with  such  per- 
fect imitation  of  the  original  manuscript  or  printing,  as  to 
embellish  every  work. which  his  erudition  enabled  him  to 
elucidate.  He  continued  under  Mr.  Summers  for  three 
years ;  and  every  evening  during  that  time  he  had  to  repeat 
by  heart  to  his  father  the  lessons  and  the  tasks  of  the  day ; 
and  this  not  in  a  loose  or  desultory  manner,  but  in  the  ri- 
gorous order  in  which  they  bad  been  taught;  and  thu3 
again  the  process  of  recollection  was  cherished  and 
strengthened^  so>  as  to  become  a  quality  of  his  mind.  It 
was  impossible  that  such  a  youth  should  remain  unnoticed, 
feven  in  a  place  so  thinly  peopled,  and  so  obscure,  as  the 
parish  of  East  Ruston.  The  reverend  Mr.  Hewitt,  vicar  of 
the  parish,  heard  of  his  extraordinary  propensities  to  study, 
bis  gift  of  attention  to  whatever  was  taught  him,  and  the 


198 


P  O  R  S  O  N. 


wonderful  fidelity  with  which  he  retained  whatever  he  bad 
acquired.     He  took  him  and  his  brother  Thomas  under  hi« 
care^  and  instructed  them  in  the  classics.     The  progress 
of  both  was  great,  but  that  of  Richard  was  most  extraordi- 
nary, and  when  he  had  reached  his  fourteenth  year,  had 
engaged  the  notice  of  all  the  gentlemen  in  the  vicinity* 
Among  others,  he.  was  mentioned  as  a  prodigy  to  an  opu- 
lent and  liberal  man,  the  late  Mr.  Norris,  of  Grosvenor- 
place,  who,  after  having  put  him  under  an  examination  of 
the  severest  kind,  from  which  an  ordinary  boy  would  have 
s^hrunk  dismayed,  sentliim  to  Eton  in  August  1774,  whea 
he  was  in  his  ISth  year.    In  that  great  seminary,  he  almost^ 
from  the  commencement  of  his  career,  displayed  such  a  su- 
periority of  intellect,  such  facility  of  acquirement,  such, 
quickness  of  perception,  and  such  a  talent  of  bringing^ 
forward  to  his  purpose  all  that  he  had  ever  read,  that  the 
upper  boys  took  him  into  their  society,  and  promoted  the 
cultivation  of  his  mind  by  their  lessons,  as  well,  probably^ 
as  by  imposing  upon  him  the  performance  of  their  own  ex- 
ercises*.    He  was  courted  by  them  as  the  never-failingr 
resource  in  every  diiSculty  ;  and  in  all  the  playful  excur- 
sions of  the  imagination,  in  their  frolics,  as  well  as  in  their 
serious  tasks,  Porson  was  the  constant  adviser  and  support. 
He  used  to  dwell  on  this  lively  part  of  his  youth  with  pe- 
culiar complacency,  and  used  to  repeat  a  drama  which  he 
wrote  for  exhibition  in  their  long  chamber,  and  other  com- 
positions, both  of  seriousness  and  drollery,  with  a  zest  that 
the  recollection  of  his  enjoyment  at  the  time  never  failed  to 
tevive  in  him.     A  very  learned  scholar,  to  whom  the  public 
was  indebted  for  "  A  short  accouut  of  Mr.  Porson,"  pub* 
lished  soon  after  his  death,  has  the  following  remarks  on  his 
progress  at  Eton :  *'  By  his  own  confession  he  learnt  no- 
thing, or  added  little  to  his  stock,  at  school:  and  per- 
haps for  a  good  teason,  since  he  had  every  thing  that  was 
given  him  to  read,  where  he  was  first  placed,  by  heart ; 


*  "  When  be  entered  Eton,  be  was 
wholly  ignoraot  (»f  quantity,  and  after 
he  had  toiled  up  the  arduous  path  to 
literary  emioence,  be  was  often  twitted 
by  his  quonda,m  schoolfellows  with  tliose 
violations  of  quantity  which  are  com- 
mon in  first  attempts  at  Latin  verse. 
Our  Gre«k  professor  always  felt  sore 
upon  this  point.  One  of  his  best  friends 
and  greatest  admirers  has  preserved  a 
copy  of  ve^rses,  which,  indeed,  evince 
tbe  rapid  progress  of  his  mind,  but 


would  not  do  honour. to  his  memory.'* 
Kidd's  Imperfect  Outline  of  the  Life  of 
R.  P.  p.  xi.  From  the  same  we  learn* 
that  **  the  Rev.  Dr.  Davies,  late  provost 
of  Eton,  when  head-mastef,  presegteil 
R,  P.  with  a  copy  of  Toup's  lionginus, 
as  a  mark  of  his  regard  for  b,  good  ex- 
ercise. This  book  B,  P.  was  wont  to 
say,  first  biassed  his  mind  to  critical  re- 
searches, and  Bentley  and  Dawes  che- 
rished  aad  confirmed  that'  stroQf  pto- 
pensity:  the  rest  he  gave  himself.*^  Ibid.- 


P  O  R  S  O  N.  199 

Aat  is,  he  could  repeat  all  the  Horace,  and  all  the  Vii^l, 
eommoDly  read  at  Eton,  and  the  Iliad,  and  extracts  from 
the  Odyssey,  Cicero,  and  Livy,  with  the  Ambubaiarum  of 
Horace,  the  Eclogues  and  Georgics,^  and  the  Culex,  CiriD, 
and  Catalecta,  which  they  do  not  read.  But  still,  tbough 
he  would  not  own  it,  he  was  much  obliged  to  the  coir 
lisfon  of  a  public  school  for  the  rapidity  with  wliich  h^ 
increased  his  knowledge,  and  the  correction  of  himself  by 
the  mistakes  of  others.'* 

The  death  of  Mr.  Norris  was  the  source  of  severe  mor- 
tification to  him ;  though,  by  the  kindness  of  some  eminent 
and  liberal  persons,  particularly  sir  George  Baker,  he  was 
Continued  at  Eton,  and  afterwards  placed  at  the  university. 
To  sir  George  Baker,  his  second  protector,  he  inscribed 
one  of  his  Greek  plays,  "  Britanniarum  APXIATPXM."  It  is 
to  the  fostering  hand  of  this  second  patron,  says  Mr.  Wes- 
ton, ^'  that  we  are  indebted  for  the  noblest  plant  that  ever 
grew  in  any  garden  with  such  spreading  branches,  so  high 
a  head,  and  so  deep  a  root." 

-  He  was  entered  of  Trinity  college  towards  the  end  of 
4777,  and,  his  character  having  preceded  him,  he  was  from 
the  first  regarded  as  a  youth  whose  extraordinary  endow*- 
ments  would  do. honour  to  that  society.  Nor  did  he  dis- 
appoint the  hopes  that  had  been  formed  of  him.  In  every 
branch  of  study  to  which  he  applied  himself,  his  course 
was^c/  rapid  as  to  astonish  every  competent  observer.  By 
circumstances  common  at  Cambridge,  be  was  drawn  first 
to  Yead  in  mathematics,  in  which,  from  his  early  exercises, 
he  was  eminently  calculated  to  shine,  but  from  which  he 
drew  no  benefit ;  and  then,  having  the  prospect  of  a  scho- 
larship, he  sat  down  to  the  classics^  in  which  he  soon  ac- 
.quired  undisputed  pre-eminence.  He  got  the  medal  of 
Course,  and  was  elected  a  fellow  in  1781.  In  1785  he 
took  his  degree  of  master  of  arts ;  but  long  before  the  pe- 
riod had  elapsed  when  he  must  either  enter  into  holy  orders 
Or  surrender  his  fellowship,  he  felt  such  powerful  scruples 
in  his  mind  with  regard  to  subscription,  to  the  articles  of 
the  church,  that  he  determined  to  decline  it;  and,  so  early 
as  1788,  he  had  made  up  his  mind  to  surrender  his  fellow- 
ship, though  with  an  enfeebled  constitution  he  had  nothing 
to  depend  upon  but  acquirements  that  are  very  unprofitable 
to  their  owner.  Accordingly,  in  179 1  his  fellowship  ceased^ 

«  <(  On  ibis  oceasion  he  used  to  ob-  iras  a  gentleman  living  in  London  with* 
tenre,'Witb  i^s  aaual  good-humour  (for  out  a  sixpence  in  bis  pocket"  Kic^d, 
k'otliiD^  could  depress  blin),   that  be     p.  xiv. 


200  P  O  R  S  O  N. 

but  SOOT)  after  some  private  friends  stept  iOi  and  in  1793  be 
was  elected  Greek  professor  of  Cambridge,  by  as  uoanina^ous 
Tote  of  the  seven  electors. .  The  distinction  of  this  appoisiti*^ 
-ment  was  grateful  to  him.  The  salary  is  but  40/.  a-yean 
It  Was  bis  earnest  wish^  however,  to  have  made  it  an  active 
and  efficient  office,  and  it  was  his  determination  to  give  an 
annual  course  of  lectures,  in  the  college,  if  rooms  had  b^eD 
assigned  him  for  the  purpose.  The  importance  of  suck 
lectures  as  he  could  have  given  ha^  been  often  revolved  in 
the  minds  of  some  of  his  friends,  while  others  have  doubted 
whether  bis  studies,  which  had  been  throughout  life  desul- 
tory, could  have  been  concentrated  to  one  point,  and  that 
point  requiring  unremitting  assiduity,  and  a  periodical 
regularity.  No  opportunity,  liowever,  was  afforded  for 
the  trial. 

'  From  this  time,  instead  of  lectures,  it  is  said  be  turned 
bis  thoughts  to  publication ;  but  before  this,  he  had  been 
a  contributor  to  some  of  the  literary  journals,  of  articles 
which  displayed  his  critical  acumen.  In  the  3d  vol.  of 
Maty^s  Review,  he  published  a  criticism  on  Schutz's  M&- 
cbylus,  dated  from  Trinity  college.  May  29,  1783.  .  His 
other  criticisms  in  that  Review  are,  Brunck' s  Arbtophanes^ 
vol.  IV. ;  Hermesianax,  by  Weston,  vol.  V. ;  Hunting- 
ford's  .Apology  for  his  Monostrophics,  vol.  VI.  He  ^Iso 
furnished  Mr.  Maty  with  a. transcript  of  the  letters  of 
Bentley  and  Le  Clerc,  vol.  IX.  p.  253.  He  was  an^  occa- 
sional contributor  to  the  Monthly  Review,  the  Gentleman's 
Magazine,  and,  it  is  believed,  to  other  publications.  Tbe 
account  of  Robertson's  Parian  Chronicle,  in  the  Monthly 
Review,  was  written  by  him ;  and  the  review  of  Knight's 
\Essay  on  the  Greek  Alphabet,  January  1794,  has,  from 
internal  evidence,  been  giyen  to  him.  Of  the  ironical  de* 
fence  of  Sir  John  Hawkins's  Life  of  Jobnson  he  wa$ 
unquestionably  the  writer:  this  was  comprised  in  three 
humourous  letters  inserted  in  the  Gentleman's  Magazine 
for  1787,  under  the  signature  of  Sundry  Whereof,  Some 
letters  upon  the  contested  verse,  1  John,  v.  7,  appeared 
subsequently  in  the  same  work;  which  at  lengtn  caused 
the  publication  of  his  letters  to  Archdeacon  Travis,  in 
which  be  is  thought  by  many  to  have  completely  invali- 
dated the  authority  of  that  much*disputed  text*. 

*  Tt  is  unnecessary  to  notice  all  recently  published,-  by  the  Rer.  Tbo^ 

tbe  occasioDai  compositions  which  fell  mas   Kicid,  of  Trinity  college*  Cam* 

from  Mr.  Forson's  pen,  as  the  whole,  bridge,    under  the  title   of    "  Tracts 

or  at  least  all  that  are  certainly  known  and   Miscellaneous   Criticisms,"   Sto, 

f  be  biSy  bare  been  callected,  and  1815. 


P  O  R  S  O  N.  301 

Not  long  after  he  bad  taken  bis  first  degree,  it  was  ill. 
tbe  contemplation  of  the  syndics  of  the  university  press  at, 
Cambridge  to  publish  j£schylus,  with  Stanley's  coaii|nen« 
tariesy  in  MS.  in  the  public  library  of  that  university.  Mr. 
Porson  offered  to  undertake  the  work3  if  allowed  to  conduct 
it  according  to  bis  own  ideas  of  the  duty  of  an  editor;  but 
this  offer  was  rejected,  and  in  a  manner  so  discouraging, 
that  we  are  told  it  in  a  great  measure;  operated,  for  a  short 
period,  to  extinguish  in  him  that  ardent  love  of  fame  which. 
is,  generally  speaking,  the  concomitant  of  learning  and  the 
emanation  of  genius*  We  shall  find,  hereafter  how  much 
be  bad  at  heart  the  elucidation  of  this  very  difficult  author, 
and  in  the  mean  time  he  was  not  reluctant  to  employ  his 
pen  in  similar  undertakings.  In  1785,  ^wben  Nicholson* 
the  bookseller  of  Cambridge,  was  preparing  a  new  edition 
of  Xenophon's  **  Anabasis,''  he  prevailed  upon  Mr.  Porson 
to  furnish  him  with  some  assistance,  which  be  accordingly 
did  to  the  extent  of  twenty-eight  pages  of  addenda,  which, 
although  avowedly  written  in  haste,  attest  the  hand  of  a 
master.  In  the  year  1787,  he  communicated  to  tbedele^ 
gate$^  of  the  Clarendon  press  some  notes  upon  Toup's 
jEmendations  on  Suidas,  which  appeared  with  that  import*- 
ant  work  in  1790.  These  notes  were  probably  composed 
by  him  at  the  request  of  bis  friend  Mr.  Tyrwhitt;  a  gen* 
tteman  of  whose  learning  and  genius  he  had  the  highest 
opinion,  and  not  only  used  to  mention  the  talents  and 
acuteness  of  Mr.  T.  with  approbation,  but  with  reverence. 
'  However  mortified  Mr.  Porson  was  by  the  rejection  of 
his  proposals  respecting  iEschylus  at  Cambridge,  be  did 
Hot  wholly  forego  the  idea  of  publishing  that  author,  and 
twice  announced  in  Maty's  Review,  (vol.  III.  p.  168,  and 
Tol.  IV.  p.  233,)  an  intention  to  publish  a  new  edition  of 
Stanley's  ^schylus,  in  3  vols,  and  solicited  the  aid  of 
English  or  foreign  scholars.  '  His  first  regular  publica?- 
tidn,  however,  was  a  play  of  Euripides.  In  1797,  he 
published  tbe^  ^^  Hecuba,"  which  he  intended  as  the  pre* 
cursor  of  all  the  dramas  of  that  author.  Accordingly,  the 
next  year  was  published  the  "Orestes  ;"  the  year  after  the 
5*PhcBniss«E;"  and,  in  1801,  the  "Medea"  issued  from 
the  press  at  Cambridge,  to  which  his  name  was  prefixed. 
In  1802  was  published  a  second  edition  of  the  "  Hecuba,'* 
with  a  supplement  to  the  preface,  and  a  very  copious  addi* 
tion  to  the  notes. 
•  ;  The  last  work  that  Professor  Porson  published  was  a  third 


202  P  O  R  S  O  N. 

dditioa  of  the  '*  Hecuba.'*  He  had  also,  it  u  said,  made  a 
considerable  progress  in  the  revision  of  the  three  other 
plajs  #hich  be  had  form^y  edited ;  but  it  has  been  la- 
ineuted,  that  he  spent  so  much  time  in  revising  what.he  had 
already  given  to  the  world,  instead  of  proceeding  to  €or<« 
rect  Ae  text  of  the  remaining  plays. 

The  other  literary  labours  of  Profisssor  Person  we  shall 
briefly  notice.  When  Heyne*s  Virgil  was  republished  in 
JLondoo,  he  was  engaged  to  superintend  the  press;  hot  to 
this  he  did  very  little.  The  Grenville  Homer  had  more  of 
bis  assistance,  as  be  collated  the  Odyssey  with  a  Harleian 
MS*  His  last  literary  labour  was  bis  <*  iEschylus."  The 
fate  of  this  work  was  somewhat  singular.  According  to  the 
author  of  the  "  Pursuits  of  Literature,'*  he  had  lent  his  MS 
corrections  and  conjectures  on  the  text  of  ^schylus  to  a 
friend  in  Scotland,  and  these  falling  into  the  hands,  of 
Foulis,  the  printer,  he  published  a  magnificent  edition  of 
the  text  without  the  notes.  This  appeared  in  1795,  folio^ 
but  the  edition  was  limited  to  the  small  number  of  52>of 
fhe  shiall  paper,  and  eleven  of  the  large.  The  professor's 
own  edition  was  printed,  in  2  vols.  8vo,  as  early  as  1194^ 
but  for  v^hat  reason  we  know  not,  was  not  published  until 
ie06,  and  then  without  the  notes.  It  still,  however,  is  to 
be  considered  as  a  permanent  advantage  to  Greek  literature^ 
ui  the  text  is,  in  almost  numberless  instances,  improved  by 
kis  sagacity. 

In  1795,  Mr.  Person  married  Mrs.  Lunan»  the  sister  of 
|Mr.  Perry,  the  proprietoi^  and  conductor  of  the  Morning 
Chronicle,  which  had  to  boast  of  many  of  his  fugitive  pieces. 
This  lady  died,  in  consequence  of  a  decline,  in  April  1797* 
He  had  long  before  enjoyed  the  friendship  of  her  brother^ 
who  for  many  years  contributed  more  to  the  comfort  of  Mr. 
Person's  life  than  any  one  man  we  are  able  to  mention. 
Person  had  a  proud  and  independent  spirit ;  it  was  difficulty 
therefore,  to  confer  an  obligation  on  him,  although  hit 
situation  rendered  many  such  necessary ;  but  Mr.  Perry^ 
by  a  thousand  acts  of  kindness,  had  completely  engaged  lus 
con6dence,  and  had  the  art  of  conferring  his  favours  in  a 
inanner  which  removed  the.  painful  sense  of  obligalion. 
Person  knew  that  Mr.  Perry  was  perfectly  disinterested,  and 
accepted  from  him  what  he  would  have  rejected  with  in* 
dignation  if  offered  by  one  who  assumed  the  airs  of  the  pa^ 
tron  J  and  Mr.  Perry,  by  carefully  studying  his  temper^ 
was  enabled  to  anticipate  his  wishes,  and  on  varioua  occar 


p  o  R  s  ON*  aos 

sions  coutrived  to  exercise  a  salutary  controul  over  hit 
^iliogs,  which  his  delicacy  and  judgment  nendeved  im^ 
perceptible.  - 

Mr.  Person  was  in  his  latter  days  often  af&icted  with  m 
spasmodic  asthma^  which  interrupted  bis  studies,  and  con* 
^quently,  in  a  great  degree,  repressed  his  literary  ardour* 
Whether  this  disease  was  a  revival  of  a  complaint  which 
had  afflicted  his  early  youth,  or  was  engendered  by  the' 
severe  and  laborious  study  which  had  marked  his  middle 
age,  is  uncertain.  It  was  probably  increased  by  the  latter^ 
aod  certainty  so  by  his  irregularities,  and  neglect  of  the 
i^ommon  means  of  health.  There  were  times,  however^ 
when  few  men  could  display  such  patient  and  continued 
toil.  An  instance  of  this  is  mentioned  which  strongly 
marks  his  character.  He  had '  undertaken  to  make  out 
and  copy  the  almost  obliterated  manuscript  of  the  inva* 
kiable  Lexicon  of  Photius,  which  he  had  borrowed  from 
the  library  of  Trinity  college.  And  this  he  had  with  un- 
paralleled difficulty  jusrt  completed,  when  the  beautiful  copy, 
which  had  cost  him  ten  months  of  incessant  toil,  was  burned 
along  with  the  house  of  Mr.  Perry,  at  Merton.  The  origi- 
nal,  being  an  unique  entrusted  to  him  by  the  college,  he 
carried  with  him  wheresoever  he  went,  and  he  was  fortu- 
iiately  absent  from  Merton  on  the  morning  of  the  fire.  Un- 
ruffled by  the  loss,  he  sat  down  without  a  murmur,  and 
made  a  second  copy  as  beautiful  as  the  first,  which  is  xuy0 
lA  Trinity-college  library. 

-  When  the  London  Institution  was  established,  professor 
Person  was  selected  to  fill  the  situation  of  principal  libra* 
mn.  This  office,  which  was  rewarded  with  a  salary  of 
200/.  a  year,  and  a  suite  of  rooms,  provided  very  amply 
for  a  man  in  whose  eyes  money  had  little  value,  unless 
as  it  enabled  him  to  pursue  his  studies;  but  it  was  rather 
convenient  in  that  view,  than  gratifying  with  respect  to  its 
duties.  The  number  of  those  who  in  his  time  availed 
themselves  of  the  fine  library  of  the  Institution  wa»  toe 
small  to  require  the  assistance  of  such  a  manasPor&on; 
yet  in  the  few  instances  which  occurred  of  young  men  at« 
liending  there  for  the  serious  purposes  of  study,  he  de« 
lighted  to  be  their  instructor;  and,  as  one  of  his  biogra* 
phers  has  observed,  '<  his  mode  of  communication,  liberal 
in  the  extreme,  was  truly  amiable,  as  he  told  you  all  you 
#fimted  to  know  in  a  plain  and  direct  manner, « without 
any  attempt  \o  dispkjt  his  own  superiority,  bat  merely.  S0 


204  P  O  R  S  O  N. 

inform  you/'  We  have  often  been  surprized  that  the 
business  of  tuition  was  never  recommended  to  him ;  bur 
perhaps  in  this,  as  in  other  instances,  the  irregularity  of 
his  habits  would  have  been  a  great  obstruction. 

In  the  year  180S,  his  asthmatic  complaint  became  so 
frequent  as  to  interrupt  his  usual  pursuits,  and  so  painful 
that  during  the  agony  he  never  went  to  bed,  and  was  forced 
to  abstain  from  all  sustenance.  This  greatly  debilitated 
fcis  body ;  and  about  a  month  before  his  death  he  was  also 
afflicted  with  an  intermittent  fever.  He  had  an  unfortu- 
nate objection  to  medical  advice,  and  therefore  resorted  to 
bis  usual  remedy  of  abstinence  :  but  on  Monday,  the  19tb 
of  September,  1808,  he  suffered  an  apoplectic  stroke,  from 
which  he  recovered  only  to  endure  another  the  next  day. 
He  languished  in  consequence  until  the  Sunday  night,  and 
then  expired  without  a  struggle,  at  his  rooms  in  the  Lon« 
don  Institution.  His  remains  were  removed  for  interment 
in  the  ante-chapel  of  Trinity-college,  Cambridge,  and  were 
deposited  in  a  grave  close  to  the  statue  of  sir  Isaac  New- 
ton, and  near  the  ashes  of  Bentley.  The  funeral  was  at- 
tended by  the  society  of  the  college,  and  the  service  read 
by  the  master,  the  bishop  of  Bristol.  The  college  after- 
wards purchased  such  of  his  books  as  contained  his  MS 
notes,,  which  were  very  numerous,  and  from  which  two 
publications  have  since  been  made,  one  of  his  '^Adversa- 
ria,'' and  the  other  already  mentioned,  by  Mr.  Kidd. 

*'  The  principal  qualities,"  says  one  of  his  biographers^ 
*^  in  this  great  man's  mind,  were  his  extraordinary  acute- 
ness  of  discernment,  and  solidity  of  judgment;  and  these, 
added  to  his  intense  application  and  stupendous  memory', 
made  him  what  the  world,  perhaps,  never  saw  before,  a 
complete  critic,  in  the  most  honourable  and  extended  sense 
of  that  appellation.  His  reading  was  immense  :  he  was  an 
excellent  French  scholar ;  but  in  his  native  language,  in 
the  Latin,  and  in  the  Greek,  he  was  most  familiarly  and 
profoundly  versed.  He  had,  indeed,  applied  the  know- 
ledge which  he  had  gained  of  the  origin  and  structure  of 
language  in  general,  to  all  these  dialects,  if  we  may  so 
express  ourselves,  of  the  universal  language ;  and  had  not 
bis  enainence  in  classical. literature,  by  its  uncommon  lustre, 
obscured  other  attainments,  he  would  doubtless  have  beeu 
considered  as  one  of  the  first  English  scholars.  In  Greek, 
however,  we  have  no  hesitation  in  pronouncing  him  the 
very  first,  not  merely  of  his  own  age,  but  of  every  other* 


P  O  R  S  O  N.  20Jf 

In  him  were  conspicuous  boundless  extent  of  reading,  a 
most  exact  and  welUordered  memory ;  unwearied  patience 
in  unravelling  the  sense  of  an  author,  and  exploring  the 
perplexities  of  a  manuscript;  perspicacity  in  discovering 
the  corruptions  of  a  text,  and  acuteness  almost  intuitive, 
in  restoring  the  true  reading.  All  this  was  tempered  with 
a  judgment' which  preserved  him  invariably  from  the  rocka 
against  which  even  the  greatest  of  his  critical  predecessors 
have  at  some  time  or  other  split ;  we  mean  precipitation  in 
determining  that  to  be  unsound,  which  after  all  had  no  de« 
feet ;  and  rashness  in  applying  remedies  which  only  served 
to  increase  the  disease.^'  On  the  failings  of  this  eminent 
man  we  have  but  gently  touched  :  there  is  reason  to  think 
they  have  been  exaggerated  by  vulgar  report.  Whatever 
they  were,  it  is  to  his  credit,  that  they  who  knew  him  most 
intimately,  were  most  disposed  to  forget  them  in  the  splen* 
dour  of  his  uncommon  talents. 

Mr.  Porson  left  a  sister,  a  .most  amiable  and  accom« 
plished  woman,  the  wife  of  Siday  Hawes,  esq.  of  Coltis- 
ball,  Norfolk.  Henry,  his  second  brother,  was  settled  in 
a  farm  in  Essex,  and  died  young,  leaving  three  children: 
His  brother  Thomas,  the  companion  of  his  juvenile  i^tudies, 
was  an  excellent  scholar ;  he  kept  a  boarding-school  at 
FiEikenham,  and  died  in  1792  without  issu^. — His  father, 
Mr.  Huggin  Poi'son,  died  in  1S05,  in  his  seventy-fourth 
year.    His  mother  died  in  1784,  aged  fifty-seven.* 

PORTA  (Baccio  Della),  an  eminent  Florentine  artist, 
whose  surname  is  not  known,  was  called  Baccio  della  Porta, 
from  a  study  which  he  kept  when  a  youth,  near  a  gate  of 
the  city;  and  this  name  was  afterwards  changed  to  the 
more  celebrated  one  of  Fril  Bartolommeo  di  S.  Marco, 
when  he  entered  the  order  of  that  Dominican  convent. 
Sometimes  he  is  only  called  "  il  Frate.'*  He  was  born  in 
r469,  and  studied  .under  Cosimo  Roselli ;  but  soon  grew 
enamoured  of  the  grand  chiaro-scuro  of  Lionardo  da  Vinci, 
and  strove  to  emulate  it.  His  progress  was  rapid,  and  he 
became  the  instructor  of  Raphael  in  colour,  who  gave  him 
lessons  in  perspective,  and  taught  him  to  unite  graceful^ 
ness  with  grandeur  of  form.  The  composition  of  his  sa- 
cred subjects,  and  he  painted  little  else,  is  that  which  ad* 
hered  to  Raphael  himself,  and  was  not  dismissed  by  the 

^  Morning  Chronicle  for  OcL  6,  1S03. — Atbenxum,  vol.  IV.  p.  496.  5SK 
vol.  V.  p.35.— Savage's  Librarian,  vol.  I.  p.  274.— Gent.  Mag.  vol.  I4X}(V1II» 
Dibdia's  CUssics. 


«06  PORTA. 

Floretfttne  School  before  tbe  epoch  of  Poiitormo ;  but  be 
disguised  its  fonnality  by  tbe  introduction  of  architecture 
and  majestic  steciery.  To  repel  tbe  invidious  charge  of 
incapacity  for  large  proportions,  he  produced  the  sublime 
iigufe  of  St.  Marc,  which  alone  fills  an  aniple  pannel,  and 
is,  or  was  lately,  among  tbe  spoils  of  the  Louvre.  His  St. 
Sebastian^  for  skill  in  the  nsiked,  and  energy  of  colour,  ob« 
lained  every  suffrage  of  artists  and  of  critics,  but  being 
comidered  as  indecent,  the  monks  thought  proper  to  sell 
aud  send  it  to  France.  In  drapery  he  may  be  considered 
as  an  inventor ;  no  artist  of  his  school  formed  it  with  equal 
breadth  or  dignity,  or  so  natural  and  expressive  of  the 
limits  ;  and  if  he  were  the  instructor,  he  was  certainly  not 
the  slave,  of  the  layman.  One  work  of  his,  of  prodigious 
grandeur  and  beauty,  is  unnoticed  by  Mr.  Fuseli^  whose 
account  we  have  nearly  followed  hitherto,  viz.  the  Ak^ 
sumption  of  the  Virgin,  at  Lucca.  Its  situation  being  re- 
tired, this  picture  is  little  known  to  travellers,  though  it  is 
one  of  tbe  most  sublime  productions  of  the  pencil.  Mn 
West,  the  president  of  tbe  Royal  Acaden>y,  has  in  his  pos- 
session a  considerable  part  of  the  Studies  mentioned  by 
Vasari  as  having  been  left  to  his  scholar,  <a  nun  of  St.  Ca- 
tharine at  Florence ;  and  among  them  several  drawings  for 
this  picture  and  its  various  parts.  They  are  accompanied 
by  about  two  hundred  drawings  of  figures,  draperies,  and 
limbs,  studied  from  nature  with  great,  care  and  taste ;  and 
exhibit  tbe  industry  and  uncommon  zeal  with  which  he 
laid  tbe  basis  of  his  justly  •acquired  fame.  He  died  in 
1517." 

PORTA  (John  Baphsta),  a  Neapolitan  gentleman,  whp 
made  himself  famous  by  his  application  to  letters  and  to 
science,  particularly  mathematics,  medicine,  and  natural 
history,  was  born  in  1445,  and  becoming  eminent  for  his 
knowledge,  held  a  kind  of  literary  assembly  at  his  house, 
in  which,  according  to  the  notions  of  those  times,  they 
treated  occasionally  on  tbe  secrets  of  magic  The  court 
of  Rome  on  this  account  forbad  these  meetings ;  but  his 
Ifpuse  was  always  tbe  resort  of  literary  men,  foreign  as 
wellas  Neapolitan.  He  not  only  established  private  schools 
for  {iarttcttlar  sciences,  but  to  the  utmost  of  his  power 
promoted  ptrblic  academies.  He  bad  no  small  share  in 
establishing  the  academy  at  Gli  Ozioni,  at  Naples;  and  that 

^  Pilk'mston  by  Fuseli. — Rees's  Cyclopsedia. 


PORTA.  9Qt 

in  bis  own  house,  called  de  Secrett,  was  accessible  ootjr 
to  9uch  as  bad  made  some  new  discoveries  in  nature.  H^ 
composed  dramas,  both  tragic  and  comic,  which  bad  som^ 
success.at  the  time,  but  are  not  now  extant  He  Aed  ii| 
1515.  The  chief  of  his  works  now  extant  are,  K  ''P# 
Magia  natural!,'*  Amsterdam,  1664,  12mo ;  a  work  in  wbicll 
he  teaches  how  to  produce  wonderful  effects  bj  naton4  . 
causes;  but  in  which  are  some  extravagances.  2.  ^^  De 
Physiognomia,*'  printed  at  Leyden  in  quarto,  1645.  He 
judges  of  the  physiognomy  of  men  chieHy  by  comparing 
them  to  different  animals ;  find  with  his  other  fancies  mixes 
those  of  judicial  astrology.  S.  <*  De  occultis  literarum  no*? 
tis ;''  in  which  be  treats  of  the  modes  of  writing  in  cypher  i 
which  he  does  with  great  copiousness  and  diligence.  4^ 
^^  Phy  tognomica,*'  a  pretended  method  of  knowing*  the  iu^ 
ward  .virtues  of  things  by  inspection,  Naples,  1583,  folio. 
5.  "De  Distillationibus/'  Rome,  quarto.  To  him  isattribute4 
the  invention  of  the  Camera  Obscura,  which  was  perfected 
by  s'Gravesande.  He  is  said  to  have  formed  the  plan  of 
an  Encyclopedia.  ^ 

PORTES  (Philip  des).    See  DES  PORTKS. 

PORTEUS  (Beilby),  a  late  eminent  English  prelate 
was  born  at  York  May  8,  1731.  He  was  the  youngest  but 
one  of  piueteen  children.  His  father  and  mother  were  na- 
tives of  Virginia,  but  retired  to  this  country,  much  to  the 
injury  of  their  private  fortune,  solely  for  the  honourable  pur* 
pose  of  giving  every  possible  advantage  of  education  to 
their  children.  Dr.  Porteus  received  the  first  rudiments  of 
his  education  at  York  and  at  Ripon,  whence  at  a  very 
early  age  be  became  a  member  pf  Christ's  college,  Cam- 
bridge, where  he  was  admitted  a  sizar.  Humble  as  lhi$ 
station  was,  his  private  merits  and  studious  accomptt$hr 
ments  advanced  hiiid,  as  might  naturally  be  expected,  to  |i 
fellowship  of  his  college,  and  the  active  exertions  of  his 
friends  soon  afterwards  procured  him  the  situation  of  squire 
beadle,  an  office  of  the  university,  both  advantageoos  and 
honourable,  but  not  precisely  adapted  to  the  character  of 
his  mind,  or  habits  of  his  life.  He  did  not  therefore  lw|^ 
retain  it,  but  wholly  occupied  himself  with  th^  oure  of 
private  pupils,  among  whom  was  the  late  Iprd  Gmit^n% 
who  distinguished  himself  oo(  only  as  seoveiar]^  pf  MM^ 

V  ButUrt*s  AcadejDW  des  Sciences.— 4ftctla't.Bi^.  PhUa^«^Tic^QjWii>  f 
%uui  Ononast, 


i09  P  O  R  T  E  U  S. 

bttt  a^  ambassador  of  Spain.  Whilst  employed  in  tbid  me* 
ritorious  office,  he  had  some  difficulty  in  obtaining  a  cu- 
racy, and  bas  been  heard  to  say,  with  good  humour,  that 
at  this  time,  so  h'mited  was  his  ambition,  be  thought 
it  ah  extraordinary  piece  of  good  fortune,  to  receive  an 
invitation  to  go  over  every  Sunday  to  the  house  of  sir  John 
Maynard,  at  Easton,  a  distance  of  sixteen  miles  from 
Cambridge,  to  read  prayers  to  the  family.  In  1757  he 
was  ordaitied  deacon,  and  soon  afterwards  prii&st.  His  first 
claim  to  notice  as  an  author  was  his  becoming  a  successful 
candidate  for  Seaton's  prize  for  the  best  English  poem  on 
a  sacred  subject.  His  subject  was  '*  Death,**  on  which  be 
produced  an  admirable  poem,  characterized  by  extraor- 
dinary vigour,  warm  sensibility,  genuine  piety,  and  ac- 
curate taste. 

•  So  much  talent  was  not  doomed  long  to  remain  unno- 
ticed. In  1762  he  became  chaplain  to  archbishop  Seeker^ 
and  in  1765  married  miss  Hodgson,  the  eldest  daughter  of 
Brian  Hodgson,  esq.  of  Ashbourne  in  Derbyshire.  Hb 
first  church  preferments  were  two  small  livings  in  Kent, 
which  he  soon  exchanged  for  Hunton,  in  the  same  county, 
and  a  priebend  in  the  cathedral  church  of  Peterborough, 
ah  option  of  the  archbishop ;  and  not  long  afterwards  he 
was  promoted  to  the  rectory  of  Lambeth«  In  the  same  year, 
4767,  he  \:bok  his  doctor's  degree  at  Cambridge,  and  on 
this  occasion  preached  the  commencement  sermon.  From 
this  i^eriod  he  became  more  and  more  an  object  of  public 
esteem  and  attention.  He  divided  his  time  between  Hun- 
ton,' which  place  he  always  visited  with  delight  and  left 
virith  regret,  and  Lambeth ;  and  in  1 769  be  was  made  chap- 
lain to  his  majesty,  and  master  of  the  hospital  of  St.  Cross, 
near  Winchester. 

'  In  1773  a  circumstance  occurred,  which  then  excited 
considerable  interest,  and  in  which  the  part  that  Dr.  Por- 
teus  took  has  been  much  misinterpreted  and  misunderstood. 
The  following  statement  in  his  own  words,  will  place  the 
f^ictin  its  true  point  of  view.  **  At  the  close  of  the  year 
1772,  and  the  beginning  of  the  next,  an  attempt  was  made 
by 'mjr'telf  and  a' few  other  clergymen,  among  whom  were 
JMr.«FVancis  'Wdllaston,  Dr.  Percy,  now  bishop  of  Dra- 
Aore,  and  Dr.  Yorke,  now  bishop  of  Ely,  to  induce  the 
bishops' to  promote  a  review  of  the  liturgy  and  articles,  in 
'vritr  to  amend  in  both,  but  particularly  in  the  lattec^ 
those  parts  which  all  reasonable  persons  agreed  ttood  ioi 


P  O  R  T  E  U  S.  209 

tieed  of  amendment  This  plan  was  not  in  the  smaliett 
degree  connected  with  the  petitioners  at  the  Feathers  ta^ 
Tern,  but,  on  the  contrary,  was  meant  to  counteract  that 
and  all  similar  extravagant  projects;  to  strengthen  and 
confirm  oUr  ecclesiastical  establishment ;  to  repel  the  at« 
tacks  which  were  at  that  time  continually  made  upon  it  by 
its  avowed  enemies  ;  to  render  the  17^  article  on  predes- 
tination and  election  more  clear  and  perspicuous,  and  less 
liable  to  be  wrested  by  our  adversaries  to  a  Calvinistic 
sense,  which  has  been  so  unjustly  affixed  to  it;  to  improve 
true  Christian  piety  amongst  those  of  our  own  communion^ 
and  to  diminish  schism  and  separation  by  bringing  over  to 
the  national  church  all  the  moderate  and  well-disposed  of 
other  persuasions.  On  these  grounds,  we  applied  in  a 
private  and  respectful  manner  to  archbishop  Comwallis^ 
requesting  him  to  'signify  our  wishes  (which  we  conceived, 
to  be  the  wishes  of  a  very  large  proportion  both  of  the 
clergy  and  the  laity)  to  the  rest  of  the  bishops,  that  every 
thing  might  be  done,  which  could  be  prudently  and  safely 
done,  to  promote  these  important  and  salutary  purposes. 

^^  The  answer  given  by  the  archbishop,  February  11  ^ 
1773,  was  in  these  words :  ^  I  have  consulted  severally  my 
brethren  the  bishops,  and  it  is  the  opinion  of  the  bench  in 
general,  that  nothing  can  in  prudence  be  done  in  tjie 
inatter  that  has  beeu  submitted  to  our  consideration.' '' 

There  can  be  no  question  that  this  decision,  viewed  in  all 
its  bearings,  was  right ;  and  Dr.  Porteus,  and  those  wijth 
whom  be  acted,  entirely  acquiesced  in  it.  They  had  done 
their  duty  in  submitting  to  the  bench  such  alterations  as  ap- 
peared to  them  to  be  conducive  to  the  credit  and  the  in- 
terest of  the  church  of  England,  and  of  religion  in  general; 
and  their  manner^of  doing  it  was  most  temperate  and  respect- 
ful. At  the  same  time,  it  appeared  to  the  majority  then^ 
as  it  does  still,  that  the  proposal  was  rejected  on  very  satis- 
factory and  sufficient  grounds. 

In  1776,  Dr.  Porteus  was  promoted  to  the  bishopric  of 
Chester,  where  he  distinguished  himself  by  a  faithful  dis*- 
charge  of  the  duties  of  his  high  station  ;  and  in  the  interval 
between  this  period  and  his  promotion  to  the  see  of  Lon- 
don, the  bishop  evinced  his  zeal  and  ardour  for  the  proi* 
fliotion '  of  piety,  benevolence,  and  the  public  good^  by 
the  part  which  he  took  in  various  matters  which  were  ob^- 
gects  of  popular  disctission.  The  principal  among  these 
were  the  .Protestant  association  against  Popery.;  that  abo^ 

Vol.  XXV.  P 


tl§  >  O  R  T  B  u  a 

niinable  nuisaiice,  the  Sunday  debating  sooietj ;  the  civW 
lisation  of  the  negroesy  and  the  cstablisbment  of  S^ndey 
aebooh.  In  the  first  of  these,  at:  the  tsune  time  that  the 
bishop  demonstrated. bis  untreiwl  ebarity  and  candour,  hm 
was  not  negligent  in.  guarding  thoae  eommitted  to  hia  oare 
agamst  the  dangerous  and  delusive  teoeta  of  pt^ery*  la 
the  second,^  his  exertions  effectually  put  a  atop  lo  a  very 
alarming  evil,  to  meetings  whscb  were  calculated  to  de«- 
•troy  every. morii  sentiment,  and  extinguish  every  reli« 
gious  principle.  With  respect  to  the  eivilisttion  and  coor 
version  of  the  negroes,  he  indulged,  the  feeling  nearest  to 
bis  heart;  but,  although  he  had  the  bappiuesa  to  see  the 
final  accomplishment  of  his  wiabes,  his  first  endeavoura 
were  not  effectual.  The  plan  of  Sunday  schools  was  first 
introduced  by  Mr.  Richard  Baikes,  of  Gloueesters  and 
when  the  bishop  wasi  convinced  by  time  and  experience  of 
their  real  utility  and  importance,  be  promoted  them  in  his 
diocese,  and  by  an  admirable  letter  which  he  addressed  to 
bis  clergy,  he  explained  tbetr  advantages,  and  recom^ 
mended  their  universal  adoption  J 

,  In  1787,  on  the  deadi  orbiahop  Lowtb,  Mr.  Pitt  re* 
eommended  Dr.  Porteua  to  bis  majesty  aa  a  fit  person  to 
aucceed  to  the  diocese  of  London^  and  hia  jotajesty  having 
giyen  his  entire  approbation,  he  was  accordingly;  iuatalled^ 
The  first  object  which  engaged  his  attention  on  bis  promor 
tion  to  this  imjiortant  see,  was  the  king's  proolamation 
against  immorality  and  profanenesst;  and  the  good  eiFeets 
of  his  exertions  on  this  subject  were  immediate  and  import 
iant;  but  his  pastoral  zeal  was  displayed  to  most  advantage 
a  few  years  after,  when  all  moral  and  religtous  priueiple 
became,  endangered  by  the  pernicious  influence  of  the 
,  French  revolution.  The  object  of  the  authors  of  that  cocit 
vulsion  was  to  degrade  and  vilify  the  truths  of  revelation^ 
and  to  propagate  in  its  place  a  blaapbemous  and  infidel 
philosophy.  The  attempt  succeeded  but  too.  effectually 
in  their  own  country,  and  the  contagion  ao6n  spread  to 
this.  No  efforts  were  spared,  which  could  tend  to  con- 
taminate the  public  mind,  and  obliterate  from  it  all  reve*^ 
rence  for  our  civil  and  religious  establishnoents ;  and  had  it 
not  been  for  the  vigorous  measures  of  that  great  miniater^ 
who  was  then  at  the  head  of  the  administration,  and  to 
whom,  under  providence,  we  owe  our  preservation,  we 
laigbt  have  witnessed  here  the  same  frightful  scenes^  wbicit 
convulsed  aod  desolated  a  uei^bofyriog  kiogdom.  . 


P  O  H  T  E  U  &  Sll 

At  a  crisis  such  as  tkis^  in  which  iJI  that  is  dear  to  ns 
bong  suspended  on  the  issue^  it  was  plainly  every  man^s 
boundeu  duty  to  exeit  himself  to  the  utmost  for  the  ptrblia 
weifere :  aod,  in  a  situation  so  responsible  as  the  see  of 
LondoOt  comprehending  a  vast  metropolis^  where  the 
emissaries  of  infidelity  were  most  actively  occupied  in  their 
ivork  of  mischief,  the  hishop  felt  himself  called  upon  to 
counteract,  as  far  as  in  him  lay,  the  licentious  principles 
which  vrere  then  afioat,  and  to  check,  if  possible,  the 
progress  they  had  too  evidently  made  in  the  various  ranks 
of  society.  The  best  mode,  as  he  conceived,  of  doing 
this,  was  to  rouse  the  attention  of  the  clergy  to  what  was 
passing  around  them ;  and  nothing  surely  was  ever  better 
ealeulated  to  produce  that  effect,  than  the  charge  which 
be  addressed  to  them  in  1794.  We  know  not  where,  in  a 
short  compass,  the  character  of  the  French  philosophy  is 
more  ably  drawn,  or  its  baneful  influence  moce  strikingly 
developed.  He  had  marked  its  course  with  an  observing 
eye.  '  He  had  read  ail  that  its  advocates  could  allege  in  its 
favour.  He  bad  traced  the  motives  which  gave  it  birth, 
thfe  features  by  which  it  was  marked,  and  the  reed  objects 
which  it  was  designed  to  accomplish.  It  was  not  therefore 
without  much  deliberatioo  and  a  full  knowledge  of  his  sub* 
ject,  that  he  drew  up  for  his  second  visitation  that  eloquent 
and  most  impressive  address,  in  which  be  gave  such  a  pic- 
ture of  the  infidel  school  of  that  day,  and  of  the  industry 
which  was  then  employed  to  disseminate  its  principles  in 
ibis  country,  as  at  once  carried  conviction  to  the  mind, 
and  most  powerfully  awakened  the  attention  of  every  seri'- 
ous  and  thinking  man.  But  it  was  on  the  clergy,  in  an 
especial  manner,  that  he  was  anxious  to  leave  a  strong  and 
fixed  persuasion  of  the  necessity  of  increased  assiduity  and 
vigilance  in  the  discbarge  of  their  religious  functions. 
Christianity,  attacked  as  it  was  on  every  side,  required 
more  than  common  efforts,  and  more  than  ordinary  zeal  on 
the  part  of  its  natural  defenders  ;  and  he  therefore  called 
upon  them  to  repel  with  vigour  and*effect  all  those  charges 
of  fraud,  falsehood,  and  fanaticism,  which  bad  been  so 
liberally  thrown  upon  it;  at  such  a  perilous  crisis  to  con- 
tend whh  peculiar  earnestness  for  **  the  faith  once  delivered 
to  the  saints;"  and  to  shew  that  it  is  not,  as  our  enemies 
affirm,  ^  a  cunniDgly  devised  fable,*'  but  *^  a  real  re  vela* 
iion  from  heaven.*' 

.   lo  particiiliir  he  recommended  it  to  them^  >vith  the  rM&w 

P  3 


21$  P  O  R  T  E  U  S. 

of  fltemming  more  effectually  the  oTerwlielming  torrent  of 
infidel  opinions^  *^  to  draw  out  from  the  whole  body  of  the 
Christian  evidences  the  principal  and  most  striking  argu- 
ments^ and  to  bring  them  down  to  the  understandings  of  the 
common  people."  **  If  ihis,"  says  he,  **  or  any  thing  oi 
a  similar  nature,  were  thrown  into  a  regular  course  of  ser- 
mons or  lectures,  and  delivered  in  an  easy,  intelligible,  fa- 
miliar language  to  your  respective  congregations,  I  know 
nothing  that  would,  in  these  philosophic  times,  render  a 
more  essential  service  to  religion.''  And  to  demonstrate 
that  he  was  willing  himself  to  take  bis  full  share  of  the 
burthen  which  he  imposed  upon  others,  he,  in  1794,  un- 
dertook to  prepare  and  deliver  at  St.  James's  church,  his 
justly-celebrated  Lent  lectures,  which  were  received  by  the 
public  with  enthusiastic  gratitude,  both  from  the  pulpit, 
in  which  they  were  repeated  for  some  succeeding  years, 
and  from  the  press,  where  they  passed  through  several 
editions.      i  ' 

This  excellent  prelate  continued  to  ; exert  all  the  in- 
fluence of  his  high  office,  and  to  display  all  the  energies 
of  his  character  in  whatever  comprehended  the  extensiock 
and  benefit  of  religion,  morality,  and  literature.  His  ad^ 
dress,  in  particular,  to  those  who  came  to  him  for  confir- 
mation when  he  visited  his  diocese  for  the  fourth  time  ia 
1 802,  is  an  admirable  piece  of  eloquence.  His  charge  on 
his  last  visitation,  is  more  particularly  deserving  of  atten- 
tion, as  it  answered  the  objections  of  those  who  repre- 
sented bis  lordship  as  friendly  to  sectaries.  The  part  he 
took  on  the  subject  of  the  Curates'  Bill,  and  residence  of 
the  clergy,  evinces  his  tenacious  zeal  in  whatever  seemed 
in  his  opinion  to  be  connected  with  his  duty. 

In  1805,  he  opposed  the  application  for  what  was  galled 
Catholic  Emancipation,  as  not  being  an  application  for 
liberty  of  conscience,  but  for  political  power.  Among  the 
last  acts  of  his  life  were,  his  support  of  the  English  and  Fo- 
reign Bible  Society  ;  his  triumph  on  the  successful  termi- 
nation of  the  question  on  the  Slave  trade ;  and  his  liberality 
in  building  and  endowing  a  chapel  at  Sundridge,  whick 
was  his  favourite  place  of  summer  residence. 

Tois  worthy  prelate  had  for  some  years  been  subject  to 
ill  health,  which  at  length  brought  on  a  general  debility, 
and  on  the  i  4th  of  May,  1808,  he  sunk  under  the  pres- 
sure of  accumulated  disease,  being  in  the  78th  year  of  his 
age«     He  left  bet»nd  him  a  justly  ^acquired  reputatiQn  -for 


PORTE  us.  8JS 

propriety  of  tondace,  ben)3voler>ce  to  the  clergy,  and  a 
strict  attention  to  episcopal  duties.  As  a  preacher,  he 
pbtained  the  character  of  an  accomplished  orator ;  bis  lan- 
guage was  chaste,  his  manner  always  serious,  animated^ 
and  impressive,  and  his  eloquence  captivating.  He  seem^ed 
to  ^peak  from  conviction,  and  being  fully  persuaded  him- 
self of  the  truth  of  those  doctrines  which  he  inculcated,  he 
the  more  readily  persuaded  others.  In  private  life  be  was 
mild,  affable,  easy  of  access,  irreproachable  in  his  morals, 
of  a  cheerful  disposition,  and  ever  ready  to  listen  to  and 
relieve  the  distresses  of  his  fellow-creatures.  In  his  be- 
haviour towards  dissenters  from  the  established  church,  he 
discovered  great  moderation  and  candour.  While  he.  was 
a  sincere  believer  in  the  leading  doctrines  contained  in  the 
thirty-nine  articles,  he  could  make  allowance  for  those  who 
did  not  exactly  come  up  to  the  same  standard.  .  Toward 
the  latter  part  of  his  life,  he  was  accused  of  becoming  the 
persecutor  of  the  rev.  Francis  Stone,  a  clergyman  of.  his 
own  diocese,  against  whom  he  formally  pronounced  a  sen- 
tence of  deprivation  for  preaching  and  publishing  a  sermon 
in  direct  hostility  to  the  doctrines  of  the  church  to  which 
he  belonged.  Mr.  Stone  had  for  many  years  avowed  hia 
disbelief  of  the  articles  of  faith  which  he  had  engaged  to 
defend,  and  for  the  support  of  which  he  had  long  received 
a  handsome  income,  but  no  notice  whatever  was  t^ken  of 
the  unsoundness  of  his  creed.  He  preached  the  offensive 
sermon  before  many  of  his  brethren  of  different  ranks  in 
the  church;  yet  perhaps  even  this  attack,  which. could 
scarcely  be  deemed  prudent  or  even  decent,  would  have 
been  unnoticed,  had  he  contented  himself  with  promul- 
gating his  opinions  from  the  pulpit  only ;  but,  when  he 
made  the  press  the  vehicle  of  disseminating- opinions,  con- 
trary to  the  articles  of  his  church,  the  prelate  tool^  the 
part  which  was  highly  becoming  the  high  office  which  ho 
held- 

The  benefactions  of  the  bishop  of  London  were  i^ume« 
reus,  public  as  well  as  private.  While  he  was  living,  he 
transferred  nearly  seven  thousand  pounds  in  three p<T.r^;»^ 
to  the  archdeacons  of  the  diocese  of  London,  ^  a  perinar 
pent  fund  for  the  relief  of  the  poorer  clergy  of  bis  dioce&e* 
He  also  transferred  stock  to  Christ's  college,  Cambridge, 
directing  the  interest  arising  from  it  to  be  appropriated  to 
the  purchase  of  three  gold  medals,  to- be  annually  con- 
tended iat  by  the  students  of  that  college ':  one  medal, 


f  11  p  o  R  r  E  u  s. 

Taltie  fifteen  guineas,  for  the  best  Latin  dissertation  oH 
any  of  the  chief  evidences  of  Cbrifttianity;  another  of  the 
same  value  for  the  best  English  composition  on  some  mot al 
precept  in  the  gospel ;  and  one  of  ten  guineas,  to  th^  b^<st 
tezder  in  and  most  constant  attendant  at  chapel  He  be«* 
queathed  his  library  for  the  use  of  his  successors  in  the  see 
of  London,  together  with  a  liberal  sum  towards  the  expence 
of  erecting  a  building  for  its  reception  at  ^  the  episcopal 
palace  at  Fulfaam.  At  Hyde-hiil,  near  Sundridge,  in 
Kent,  where  the  bishop  had  a  favourite  rural  retreat,  he 
built  a  chapel,  under  which  be  directed  his  remains  to  be 
deposited,  and  he  endowed  it  with  an  income  of  250/.  a^ 
year. 

As  his  works  are  now  printed  in  a  eollected  form,  it  is 
unnecessary  to  give  their  titles  or  dates.  The  edition  was 
pfebeded  by  an  excellent  life  of  him,  written  by  his  ne- 
phew, the  rev.'  Robert  Hodgson,  rector  of  St.  George's 
Hanover-square.  To  this  we  refer  for  many  particulars  of 
Dr.  Porteus,  which  could  not  be  included  in  the  present 
sketch.' 

PORTUS  (Francis),  a  learned  writer  of  the  sixteenth 
eeotUry,  was  a  native  of  Candid,  where  he  was  born  in 
1511,  but  was  brought  up  at  the  court  of  Ren^e  of  France, 
daughter  of  Louis  XII.  and  consort  of  Hercules  II.  duke  of 
Ferrara,  and  afterwards  taught  Greek  in  thcLt  city.  There 
also  an  acquaintance  with  Calvin  induced  him  to  embrace 
the  reformed  religion,  for  the  quiet  enjoyment  of  which 
he  went  to  Geneva  in  1561,  and  was  appointed  Greek  pro^ 
fessor,  an  office  which  he  i^ppears  to  have  held  until  his 
deatbin  1581.  He  published  commentaries  and  annota-* 
tion^  upon  Pindar,  Sophocles,  some  of  the  works  of  Xeno* 
phon,  Thucydides,  Aristotle's  Rhetoric,  Longinus,  and  some 
other  writers,  a  Latin  version  of  the  Psalms,  and  the 
Hymns  of  Synesius,  an  improved  edition  of  Constantine's 
Greek  Lexicon,  a  reply  to  Peter  Charpentier's  defence  of 
the  massacre  of  St.  Bartholomew,  and  other  pieces.  * 

PORTUS  (iEMinus),  son  of  the  preceding,  was  bom  in 
i5>5],  and  like  his  father  became  an  accomplished  Greek 
scholar  and  critic.  He  taught  Greek  at  Lausanne,  and, 
as  some  say,  in  the  university  of  Heidelberg.  He  died  in 
1610.     Among  his  useful  labours  we  may  enumerate,  I. 

. ,  1  I,ire  tn  ft^ove.r*8rt^.Crit,  ft>r  lSU.-^F9rbe&*ft  Uie  of  BeaUk  i   •tj^Ioilex^ 
'^  Morerit--^a)ui  Oaoiaagt. 


P  O  R  T  U  S.  "QU 

Aii  ecikion  of  <' EiirifiideB)'^  printcil  at  0«Mm  In  160t, 

4tx>^  with  kifl  own.  notes  and  chote  of  Ciroter,  Brodteus,  ^ 

.  and  Stibiliott^     This  in  a  rare  edition^     2.  **  Artstbphanos,*^ 

Geneva,  I60t,  fol.  Gr.  &  Lat     3.  ^<  Prodi  Diadochi  com- 

4nemaria  in  Platooia  ibeolo^am/'  Gr.  fc  Lat.  Hamburgh, 

16  IS,  fol.    4.  <<  OMsandri   Strategtous/'  Geneva,  I  GOO, 

4(o.     6.  '^  SuldflB  Lexicon^  Gr.   &   LsLtJ^  Colon.  AUobr. 

1619,  (or  as  some  copieiB  have,  Geneva,  1630,)  2  vol«.  fol. 

but  this  16  die  same  eduion.     6.  <<  Amtotelis  Ars  Rbeto- 

•rica,"  Gr.  &  Let  the  translation  by  jEmilias  Portus,  and 

itlie  coniQientary  by  his  father,  Spire,  ld96,  8vo.     7.  *^Ptn^ 

-dar,"  1 598.     Besides  these  he  contributed  notes  lo  Leun^ 

clavius's  edition  of  **  Xenopbon,^*  translated   into  Latin 

Dioaysius  of  Halicaroa^ius,  and  published  a  ^^  Diotioniiw 

rium  Ooricum  GrsBCO'Latinum,*'   1603,  8vo,  a  *^  Diet,  lo- 

aiioum,^'  Gr.  &Xat  ^vo,  lately  reprinted  at  Oxford,  and 

«  ^  Lexicon  Pindaricani/'  &c.  &c.  ^ 

PORY  (John),  a  learned  traveHer  and  geographer,  was 
born  probably  about  li70,  and  entered  of  Gonvil  and  Caius 
college,  Cambridge^  in  1.587,  where  betook  the  degrees 
in  arts«  The  time  of  his .  le^iving  the  oniversity  does  not 
appear;  but  in  1600,  we  find  him  oiensioned  by  Hacklay^ 
with  great  respect,  in  the  dedioation  to  secretary  Cecil, 
-of.  the  third  volume  of  his  voyages.  He  appears  to  have 
'been  in  some  Measure  a  pupil  of  Haokioyt's,  or  at  least 
-caught  from  him  a  love  for  oostnograpby  itnd  foreign  bis*. 
tory,  and  published  iu  the  same  year,  1600,  what  he  calls 
ihe  i^  blossoms  of  bis  labours,"  namely,  ^^  A  Geograpbieal 
History  of  Arrica^'*  translated  fixna  Leo  Africanus,  Lond. 
4to.  The  reputation  of  bis  learning,  and  his  skill  in  the 
modern  languages,  not  very  nsaal  among  ^le  soholars  of 
that  age,  soon  brought  bim  acquainted  with  bis  learned 
contemporaries,  and  in  a  visit  to  Oxford  in  1610,  he  was 
inoerporated  M*  A.  About  the  same  time  Jie  appears  to 
have  been  a  member  of  parliament.  In  Feb«  1612,  he  was 
at  Paris,  where  he.delivered  to  Thuanus,  teti  books  of  the 
MS  commentaries  of  the  reign  of  queen  £ii£abetb,  sent 
over  by  sir  Robert  Cotton  for  the  use  of  that  historian. 
From  bis  correspondence  it  appears  that  be  was  at  various 
parts  of  the  Continent  before  16 19,  when  he  was  appointed 
secretary  to  the  colony  of  Virginia,  in  which^office  he  re^^ 
mained  until  Nov.  1621,  when  be  returned  to  England. 

1  Moreri. — Saxii  Oaomast. 


216  .      P  O  R  Y.  i 

,'fieing  however  appointed,  Oct.  24,  1623/.by  the'  {>rivy-t 
council  o£  England,  one  of  the  cominiasionecs  to  inquife 
into  the  state  of  Virginia,  he  went  thither «  again  in  that 
character,  but  came  back  to  bi«  own  country  in  the  year  f(d« 
.lowing.     From  that  time  he  appears  from  his  letters,  to  have 
resided  chiefly  at  London,  foe  the  rest  of  his  life,  the  pe* 
.riod  of  which  cannot  be  exactly  ascertained,  but  must  be 
Antecedent  to  the  month  of  Oct.  1635,  as  he  is  mentioned 
.as  deceased  in  a  letter  of  Mr..George  Gerrards,  of  the  third 
.of  that  month.     His  letters,  in  the  British  Museum,  ad* 
.dressed  to  Mr.  Joseph  Mead,  sir  Thomas  Puckering,  and 
.others,  will  perhaps  be  thought  inferior  to  none  in  the  hifr* 
itorical  series,  for  the  variety  and  extent  of  the  informa- 
tion contained'  in  them,  respecting  the  affairs  of  Great 
Britain.^ 

PPSSEVIN  (Antony),  a  learned  Jesuit,  was  born  at 
Mantua  in  1534,  of  a  good  but  decayed  family.  He  wag 
.educated  principally  at  Rome,  and  made  such  progress  in 
Jearning,  that  the  cardinal  Hercules  de  Gonzaga  made 
him  his  secretary,  and  intrusted  him  with  the  education  of 
.Francis  and  Scipio  de  Gonzaga,  his  nephews.  After  stu- 
dying divinity  at  Padua,  he  was  admitted  into  the  society 
pf  Jesuits  in  1559.  As  a  preacher,  he  had  distinguished 
success,  both  in  Italy  and. France;  and  having  a  very  un« 
common  talent  both  for  languages  and  for  negociation,  he 
jwas  employed  by  pope  Gregory  JKHI.  in  important  embas- 
sies to  Poland,  Sweden,  Germany,  and  other  parts  of 
Europe.  When  he  returned  to  Rome,  he  laboured  to 
^effect  a  reconciliation  between  Henry  IV,  of  France  and 
the  court  of  Rojne.  This,  however,  displeased  the  Spanish 
court,  by  whom  he  was  compelled  to  l^ave  that  city.  He 
died  at  Ferrara,  Feb.  26,  161.1,  being  then  sevejtity-eight 
years  old.  Possevin,  though  so  deeply  skilled  in  politics 
and  knowledge  of  mankind,  was  a  man  of  profound  erudi- 
tion and  exemplary  piety.  The  most  important  of  his 
works  are,  1.  '^  Bibliotheca  selecta,  de  ratioue  stuc|iorum,'' 
published  at  Rome  in  1593,  folio,  and  reprinted  at  Venice 
in  1607,  in  2  vols,  folio,  with  many  augmentations.  This 
work  was  intended  as  a  general  introduction  to  knowledge ; 
at  once  to  facilitate  the  approach  to  it,  and  to  serve  as  a 
substitute  for  many  books,  the  perusal  of  which  the  author 

1  Life  by  Dr.  Birch ;  lee  A^icouj^h'i  Catal«gae,  and  Maty's  Review,  to).  T. 
f.  118. 


I 
.J 


P  O  S  S  E  V  r  N.  217 

considered  as  dangerous  for  young  minds.  It  treats  dis- 
tiDctly  of  every  science,  with  great  extent  of  learning,  but 
sot  always  witb  sufficient  correctness.  2.  *' Apparatus 
sacer,"  Cologne,  1607,  2  vols,  folio.  The  intention  of 
this  book  was  to  give  a  general  knowledge  of  the  comtnen- 
tators  on  the  Scriptures,  and  other  theological  writers. 
'Though  the  catalogues  it  contains  were  from  the  first  im« 
perfect  and  ill-digested,  it  was  much  circulated,  as  the 
best  book  of  the  time,  and  it  contains  notices  of  above  six 
thousand  authors.  It  is  now  become  almost  entirely  use- 
less. 3.  '^  Moscovia,**  1587,  folio;  a  description  of  Rus- 
sia the  fruit  of  some  of  his  travels.  4.  Some  controversial 
and  other  theological  books.  5.  Some  smaller  works, 
.  written  and  published  in  Italian.  Possevin^s  Life  was  pub- 
lished by  father  Dorigny  at  Paris,  1712,   12mo.^ 

POSTEL  (William),  a  very  ingenious  but  visionary 
man,  was  by  birth  a   Norman,  of  a  small  hamlet  called 
Dolerie;  where  he  was  born  in  1510.     Never  did  genius 
struggle  with   more  vigour  against  the  extremes   of  indi- 
gence.    At  eight  years  old,  he  was  deprived  of  both  his 
parents  by  the  plague:   when  only  fourteen,  unable  to 
subsist  in  his  native  place,  he  removed  to  another  near 
Fontoise,  and  undertook  to  keep  a  school.     Having  thus 
obtained  a  little  money,  be  went  to  Paris,  to  continue  his 
studies  ;  but  there  was  plundered  ;  and  suffered  so  much 
from  cold,  that  he  languished  for  two  years,  in  an  hospital. 
When  be  recovered,  he  a^ain  collected  a  little  money  by^ 
gleaning  in  the  country,  and  returned  to  Paris,  where  be 
subsisted  by  waiting  on  some  of  the  students  in  the  college 
of  St.  Barbe ;  but  made,  at  the  same  time,  so  rapid  a  pro- 
gress iu  knowledge,  that  he  became  almost  an  universal 
scholar.     His  acquirements   were   so   extraordinary,   that 
they  became  known  to  the  king,  Francis  I.  who,  touched 
with  so  much  merit,  under  such  singular  disadvantages, 
sent  him  to  the  East  l;o  collect  manuscripts.     This  commis- 
sion be  executed  so  well,  that  on  his  return,  he  was  ap- 
pointed  royal   professor  of  mathematics ,  and  languages, 
with  a  considerable  salary.     Thus   he  might  appear  to  be 
settled  for  life ;  but  this  was  not  his  destiny.     He  was,  un- 
fortunately for  himself,  attached  to  the  chancellor  Poyet, 
who  fell  under  the  displeasuae  of  the  queen   of  Navarre ; 

'  Life  by  Dorigny.— Dttpm.—Niccrpn,  vol.  XX H. — BIounlN  Cen«ura. — Saxii 
Doomatiiooo. 


218  P  O  S  T  E  L. 

and  Postel,  for  no  other  fault,  was  deprived  of  li»  sp- 
..pointmentSy  and  obliged  to  quit  France.     He  now  became 
»  wanderer,  and  a  visionary.     From  Vienna,  from  Rook, 
from  the  order  of  Jesuits,  into  wbich  he  had  entered,  be 
was^successively  banished  for  strange  and  singular  opinions; 
for  which  also  he  was  imprisoned  at  Rome  and  at  Venice. 
Being  released,  as  a  madman^  be  returned  to  Paris,  whence 
the  same  causes  sixain  drove  him  into  Germany.     At  Vienna 
he  was  once  more  received;  and  obtained  a  professorship ; 
•  but,  having  made  his  peace  at  home,  was  again  recalled 
ta  Paris,  and  re-established  in  bis  places.     He  bad  previ- 
.otisly  recanted  his  errors,  but  relapsing  into  diem,  was 
.banished  to  a  monastery,  where  he  performed  acts  of  peni- 
tence, and  died  Sept.  6,  1581,  at  the  age  of  seventy^one. 
Postel  pretended  to  be  much  older  than  he  was,  and 
maintained  that  be  had  died  and  risen  again  y  which  farce 
he  supported   by  mtiny  tricks,  such  as  colouring  his  beard 
aud  hair,  and  even  painting  bis  face.     For  the  sftme  reason, 
in  most  of  his  works,  he  styles  himself,  **  Postellus  resti- 
tutus.*'     Notwithstanding  his   strange  extravagances,    be 
was  one  of  the  greatest  geniuses  of  his  lime ;  had  a^sor* 
prising  quickness  and  memory,  with  so  extensive  a  know- 
ledge of  languages,  that  he  boasted  he  could  travel  round 
the  world  without  an  interpreter.     Francis  I.  regarded  bim 
as  the  wonder  of  his  age ;  Charles  IX.  called  him  bis  phi« 
losopher;  and  inhen  he  lectured  at  Paris,  the  crowd  of 
auditors  was  sometimes  so  great,  that  they  could  only  assem- 
ble in  the  open  court  of  the  college,  while  he  taught  diem 
from  a  window.     But  by  applying  himself  very  earnestly 
to  the  study  of  the  Rabbins,  and  of  the  stars,  be  turned 
bis  bead,  and  gave  way  to  the  most  extravagant  chimeras. 
Among  these,  were  the  notions  that  women  at  a  certaiii 
period  are  to  have  universal  dominion  over  men ;  that  all 
the  mysteries  of  Christianity  are  demonstrable  by  reason  ^ 
that  the  soul  of  Adam  had  entered  into  \i\s  body  ;  that  the 
angel  Raziel  bad  revealed  to  him  the  secrets  of  heaven ; 
and  that  his  writings  were  dictated  by  Jesus  Christ  himsejf* 
(lis  notion   of  the  universal  dominion   of  women^  arose 
from  his  attachment  to  an  old  maid  at  Venice,  in  conse- 
iquence  of  which  he  published  a  strange  and  now  very  rare 
and   high-priced   book,  entided  ^^  Les  tres^marveiUeusei 
victoires  des  Femmes  du  Nouveau  Monde,  et  comme  elles 
doivent  par  raison  a  tout  le  monde  commander,  et  mSme  i 
ceux  qui  auront  la  monarchic  du  Monde  viel,'^  Paris,  1553, 


P  O  S  T  E  L.  «lf 

• 

l^iiio.  At  the  nktne  time,  he  maintained,  that  the  extra- 
ordinary age  to  which  be  pretended  to  have  liTed,  was 
-occasioned  by  his  total  abstinence  from  ell  commeroe  with 
that  sex.  His  works  are  as  numerous  as  they  are  stra;nge; 
and  sotne  of  them  are  very  scarce,  bat  very  little  deserve 
to  be  collected.  One  of  the  most  important  is  entitled 
**De  orbis  concordia,**  Bale,  1544,  folio.  In  this  the  au- 
thor endearours  to  bring  all  the  world  to  the  ChrisiiaA 
faith  Under' two  masters,  the  pope,  in  spiritual  affairs,  and 
the  king  of  France  in  temporal.  It  is  divided  into  four 
books ;  in  the  first  of  which  he  gives  the  proofs  of  Christ 
tianity;  the  second  contains  a  refutation  of  the  Koran; 
the  third  treats  of  the  origin  of  idolatry,  and  alf  false  reli^ 
gtons ;  and  the  fourth,  on  the  mode  of  converting  Pagans, 
J^ws,  and  Mahometans.  Of  bis  other  works,  amounting 
to  twenty-six  articles,  which  are  enumerated  in  the  **  Dic- 
tionnaire  Historique,*'  and  most  of  them  by  Bmnet  as  ra- 
rities with  the  French  coileccoi*s,  many  display  in  their 
Very  titles  the  extravagance  of  their  contents;  such  as, 
'*  Clavis  absconditorum  h  constitutione  mundi,''  Paris,  1 547, 
16mo;  "  De  Ultimo  judicio;'*  "  Proto-evangelium,*'  &c, 
fiome  are  on  subjects  of  more  real  utility.  But  the  fullest 
account  of  the  whole  may  be  found  in  a  book  published 
at  Liege  in  1773,  entitled  "  Nouveaux  eclaircissemens  sur 
la  Vie  et  les  ouvra«jes  de  Guillaume  Postel,"  by  father  des 
Billons.  The  infamous  book,  *'  De  tribus  impostoribus,** 
has  been  very  unjustly  attributed  to  Postel,  for,  notwitk* 
standing  all  his  wildness,  he  was  a  believer.  *^ 

POSTLETHWAYT  (Malachi),  a  writer  of  reputation 
on  subjects  of  trade  and  commerce,  was  slightly  mentioned 
in  our  last  edition,  but  without  any  particulars  of  his  Hfe ; 
nor  have  we  yet  many  to  communicate.  He  was  born 
about  the  year  1707  ;  but  where,  of  what  parents,  or  hovi^ 
educated,'  we  have  not  discovered.  In  the  introductory 
discourse  to  his  work  entitled  "  Great  Britain^s  true 
Hystem,''  he  informs  us,  that  nature  having  given  him  si 
very  tender  and  weak  constitution,  he  studiously  declined 
and  avoided,  as  much  as  he  could,  every  degree  of  public 
life,  as  being  inconsistent  with,  and  indeed  destructive  of, 
that  sn^all  share  of  health  which  he  had  several  years 
enjoyed,  and  which  his  studies  had  not  mended ;  ^nd  yet 

'  Chaofppie.— Nicftron,    vol.  VITI  — Buliarl'd    Academie    des     Sciences.— 
Blount's  CcQsura. — SzjW  OnomBftUoon.  -  '• 


«20  POSTLETH  W  A  Y  T. 

he  preferred  the  studious  life,  as  being  more  independent. 
Jle  complains,  however,  of  want  of  encouragement;  and 
'^humbly  hopes  that  some  people  will  be  candid  and  in- 
genuous enough  to  think  that  he  has  a  right  to  be  treated 
upon  a  Noting  something  different  from  that  of  an  upstart 
idle  schemist  or  projector,  who  has  never  given  proof  of 
Any  talents  that  mighty  deserve  the  public  regard  and  at« 
tention.'*  Whether  this  complaint  was  redressed,  we  know 
not.  He  died  Sept.  17,  1767,  and  probably  not  in  very 
opulent  circumstances,  as  he  was  buried  in  Old-street 
jchurch-yard.  The  coffin,  at  his  own  request,  was  filled 
with  unslacked  lime.  His  death  was  sudden,  as  be  always 
wished  it  might  be. 

His  most  valuable  publications  were,  the  '^  Universal 
Dictionary  of  Trade  and  Commerce,''  2  vols,  folio,  of 
which  a  second  edition  was  published  in  1757  ;  and  **  Great 
Britain's  true  System ;''  one  part  of  which  is  to  recom- 
mend, during  war,  to  raise  the  supplies  within  the  year. 
His  other  publications,  with  the  merits  of  which  we  are 
less  acquainted,  were,  ^^  1.  '*  The  Merchant's  public 
Counting  House,"  4to.  2.  **  State  of  the  French  Trade 
and  Navigation,"  8vo.  3.  *^  Britain's  Commercial  Interest 
explained  and  improved,"  2  vols.  8vo.  4.  *^  The  Import- 
ance of  the  African  Expedition  considered,"  &c.  In  the 
papers  of  1763,  we  find  mention  of  a  James  Postlethwayt, 
F.  R.  S.  who  wrote  ^*  The  History  of  the  public  Reyenuej" 
folio,  but  whether  related  to  Malachi  is  uncertain.  Mala- 
cbi  was  chosen  F.  S.  A.  March  21,   1734.  * 

POTENGER,  or  POTTINGER  (John),  an  English 
gentleman  of  talents,  was  the  son  of  John  Potenger,  D.  D. 
who  was  appointed  master  of  Winchester  School  Aug.  1, 
1642,  which  he  was  obliged  to  resign,  in  order  to  pre- 
serve his  loyalty  and  principles,  and  died  in  Dec.  1659. 
He  was  born  in  St.  Switfain's  parish,  Winchester,  July  21, 
1647,  admitted  on  the  foundation  of  the  college  in  1658, 
and  thence  removed  to  a  scholarship  of  Corpus  Christi 
college,  Oxon,  where  he  took  the  degree  of  B.  A.  and 
afterwards  entered  of  the  Temple,  and  was  regularly  called 
to  the  bar.  The  office  of  comptroller  of  the  pipe,  which 
he  held  to  the  day  of  his  death,  he  purchased,  in  1676,  of  . 
sir  John  Ernie,  then  chancellor  of  the  Exchequer,  whose 
daughter  he  married.     Speaking  of  his  father,  in  one  of 

>  Gens*  Lit.  vol.  I« — Month,  and  Crit  Reviews. 


P  O  T  E  N  G  E  R.  221 

» 

his  writings,  he  expresses  himself  thus  : — "  About  the  thirf 
teenth  year  of  my  age,  the  Christmas  before  the  return  of 
king  Charles  the  Second,  I  lost  a  loving  father ;  I  was  not 
so  young  but  I  was  deeply  sensible  of  the  misfortune, 
knowing  at  what  an  unseasonable  time  I  was  deprived  of 
him,  when  he  should  have  received  a  reward  for  his  loyal 
sufferings.  He  would  often  discourse  with  me,  though 
young,  about  the  unhappy  times,  and  lament  the  church's 
and  the  king's  misfortunes,  which  made  a  great  impression 
on  me ;  and  laid  the  foundation,  I  hope,  of  my  being  a 
true  sou  of  the  church  of  England,  and  an  obedient  subject 
to  my  lawful  prince.*'  In  1692  his  wife  died,  leaving  him 
only  one  daughter,  who,  in  1695,  was  married  to  Richard 
Bingham,  esq.  of  Melcombe  Bingham,  in  the  county  of 
Dorset.  Thither  he  retired  many  years  before  his  death, 
which  happened  on  Dec.  18,  1733,  in  the  87th  year  of  his 
age.  He  was  buried  by  his  wife  in  Blunsden  church,  in 
the  parish  of  Highworth,  Wilts.  Mr.  Potenger  also  pub- 
lished "  A  Pastoral  Reflection  on  Death,"  a  poem,  in  1691 ; 
and  "  The  Life  of  Agricola,"  from  Tacitus,  and  perhaps 
other  select  pieces  ;  but  the  far  greater  part  of  his  works, 
consisting  of  ^^  Poems,  Epistles,  Translations,  and  Dis- 
courses," both  in  prose  and  verse,  was  reserved  only  for 
the  entertainment  of  his  private  friends,  who  often  impor- 
tuned him  to  make  them  public.  Two  original  letters  to 
him  from  Dr.  South,  are  printed  in  Nichols's  Select  Col- 
lection of  Poems.  * 

POTHIER  (Robert  Joseph)  son  of  a  counsellor  to  the 
presidial  of  Orleans,  was  born  in  that  city  January  9,  1699^ 
and  was  appointed  counsellor  to  the  same  presidial  himself 
at  the  age  of  twenty-one.  A  particular  taste  induced  him 
to  study  the  Roman  law ;  and  the  public  are  indebted  to 
bis  labours  on  that  subject  for  an  edition  of  Justinian's  Pan- 
dects, very  exactly  arranged,  which  he  published  1-748, 
3  vols,  folio.  This  work  made  M.  Pothier  known  to  the 
chancellor  D' A guesseau,  who  appointed  him,  unsolicited, 
to  the  professorship  of  French  law,  vacant  at  Orleans  in 
1749  ;  after  which,  he  applied  particularly  to  that  branch. 
He  died,  unmarried,  at  Orleans,  May  2,  1772.  Though 
constantly  employed  in  the  service  of  his  fellow  citizens, 
and  of  all  those  who  consulted  him,  he  found  opportunity, 
by  bis  indefatigable  diligence,   to  publish  the  followiiig 

t  NicboU's  PoemF,  vol.  VIII. -^Lloyd's  Memoirt;  folio,  p.  616. 


£22  P  O  T  H  I  E  a. 

works:  \.  "  Coutume  d'Orleans,"  1740,  1760,  t  t6b; 
12mo,  and  1773,  4to.  2.  ^^  Coutuoies  du  Ducb^,  &Cf 
d'Oxleans,"  2  vols.  12ino,  and  1760  and  1772,  4ta  The 
introductions  to  this  work  are  reckoned  masterly.  3.  ^<  Tr. 
•  ^es  Obligations,*'  1764,  2  vols.  12mo,  which  has  {>een  foU 
lowed  bj,  4.  *^  Le  Contrat  de  Vente;  de  Constitution;  d# 
Louage;  de  Soci^ti6  et  ^  Chepiels;  de  Bieafaisaoce ;  de 
D£p6t,  et  Nantissement':"  these  form  five  volumes,  which 
^re  sold  separately.  '*  Trait^  des  Coutrats  aleatoires,** 
3  vols. ;  "de  Mariage,'*  2  vols.;  "  Trait6  du  Douaire,*! 
1  vol. ;  "  Tr.  du  Droit  d'Habitation  ;"  "  Don  mutuel,"  &a 

1  vol. ;  "  Trait^  du  Domaine,  de  Propriit^  de  Possession,^' 

2  vols.  All  these  works  were  reprinted,  1774,  4  vols* 
4to.  A  Treatise  on  Fiefs  has  since  appeared,  Orleans,  1 776, 
2  vols.  foHo.  He  left  many  other  manuscript  works^  which 
have  not  been  printed  ^ 

POTT  (PEaciVAL),  an  English  sargeon  of  the  highest 
eminence,  was  born  in  Threadneedle-street^i  Londbn,  in 
December  1713.  His  father  dying  before  he  was  quit^ 
four  years  old,  he  was  left,  in  some  degree,  to  the  protec* 
tion  and  patronage  of  Wilcox,  bishop  of  Rochester^  who 
was  a  distant  relation  of  his  mother.  The  profession  of 
surgery  was  bis  own  decided  choice,  though  the  coniiectiofi 
above  mentioned  might  naturally  have  led  him  to  the 
church;  and,  in  1729,  he  was  bound  apprentice  to  Mr. 
Nourse,  one  of  the  surgeons  of  St.  Bartholomew's  hospital, 
under  whpm  he  was  profoundly  instructed*  in  what,  at  tb^t 
time,  was  taught  only  by  a  few,  the  science  of  anatomy. 
His  situation  brought  with  it  an  abundance  of  practical 
knowledge,  to  which  bis  own  industry  led  him  to  add  all 
that  can  be  gained  from  a  sagacious  and  careful  perusfkl  of 
the  early  writers  on  surgery.  Thus  qualified,  he  was  admi*^ 
rably  calculated  to  reform  the  superfluous  and  awkward 
modes  of  practice  which  had  hitherto  disgraced  the  art. 
In  1736,  having  finished  his  apprenticeship,  he  took  a 
house  in  Fenchurch-street,  and  quickly  was  distinguished 
AS  a  yonng  man  of  tbe  most  brilliant  and  promising  talents^ 
In  1745,  he  was  elected  an  assistant  surgeon  ;  and,  in 
,1749,  one  of  the  principal  surgeons  of  St.  Bartholomew^! 
hospital.  It  was  one  of  the  honours  of  Mr.  Pott's  life,  that 
he  divested  surgery  of  its  principal  horrors,  by  substituting 
a  mild  and  rational  mode  of  practice  (notwithstanding  the 

1  Diet.  Uist-^Necrolosie  des  Hoaiimss  .celebres^  pour  ans^e  VVIZ* 


POTT.  ^33 

iqiipoeition  of  Ibe  old^r  surgeons),  instead  of  the  actual 
j09kut^ry^  wd  otb^r  barbarous  expedients  which  had  hitherto 
beea  employed ;  and  he  Uved  to  enjoy  the  satisfaction  of 
feeing  bis  improved  plan  universally  adopted.  Though  he 
possessed  the  most  diatinguisbed  talents  for  communicating 
bis  thoughts  in  writing,  it  seems  to  have  been  by  accident 
that  be  ways  led  to  become  an  author.  Immersed  in  prac* 
tice^  lit  doea  not  appear  that  hitherto  he  had  written  any 
Ibiogy  except  a  paper  **  on  tumours  attended  with  a  soften- 
ing of  the  bonea,''  in  the  forty-first  volume  of  the  Philo- 
sopbical  Transactions ;  but,  in  1756,  a  compound  fracture 
of  the  leg,  occasioned  by  a  fall  of  his  horse  in  the  streets, 
gave  him  leisure  to  plan,  and  in  part  to  write,  bis  Treatise 
on  Ruptures.  The  flattering  reception  of  his  publications 
attached  him  afterwards  to  this  mode  of  employing  his  ta- 
lents, so  that  be  was  seldom  long  without  being  engaged 
in  a^me  work.  His  leg  was  with  difficulty  preserved,  and 
be  returned  to  the  labours  of  his  profession.  In  1764,  he 
had  the  hqnour  of  being  elected  a  fellow  of  the  Royal 
^Society ;  and  in  the  ensuing  year  he  began  to  give  lectures 
at  his  bouse,  which  was  then  in  Watting- street ;  but  find- 
ing it  necessary,  from  the  increase  of  his  business,  to 
eboose  a  paore  central  situation,  he  removed,  in  1769,  ta 
Lincoln Vtnn-fields,  and  in  1777  to  Hanover-square.  Hia 
reputation  had  now.nsen  nearly  to  the  greatest  height,  by 
means  of  bis  various  publications,  and  the  great  success  of 
his  practice.  lie  was  universally  consulted,  and  employed 
by  persons  of  the  first  rank  and  situation ;  and  received 
honorary  tributes  to  his  merit  from  the  royal  college  of 
surgeons  at  Edinburgh  and  in  Ireland.  In  17^7,  he  re- 
signed the  office  of  surgeon  to  St.  Bartholomew's  hospital, 
'^  after  having  served  it,'*  as  he  expressed  himself,  *^  man 
and  boy,  for  half  a  century  ;"  and  in  December. 1788,  in 
ccKisequence  of  a  cold  caught  by  going  out  of  town  to  a 
patient;  in  very  severe  weather,  be  died»  at  the  age  of 
«eventy*>five,  He  was  buried  near  his  mother,  in  the  church 
of  St*  Blary  Aldermary,  Bow*lane„wbere  a  tablet  was  affixed 
to  bia  memory,  insc^ribed  by  his  son,  the  rev.  J.  H*  Pott,  the 
present  Archdeacon  of  London,  and  vicar  of  St.  Martin' s- 
«n*the-fields. 

The  genius  of  Mr.  Pott  was  certainly  of  the  first  order. 
As  an  author,  .hi«  language  is  correct,  strong,  and  ani- 
mated. There  ace  few  instances,  if  any,  of  such  classical 
lakigattce  united  with  .so  much  practical  knowledge  and 


224  POTT. 

acoieness.  His  reading  was  by  no  means  confined  to  pro^ 
fessional  works,  but  was  various  and  extensive;  and  bis 
memory  suffered  nothing  to  escape.  As  a  teacher  he  ac- 
quired the  faculty  of  speaking  readily,  with  great  point 
and  energy,  and  with  a  most  barmouious  and  expressive 
elocution.  As  a  practitioner  in  surgery,  he  bad  all  the  es- 
aebtial  qualifications ;  sound  judgment,  cool  determina* 
tion,  and  great  manual  dexterity.  The  following  is  a  list 
of  his  works  :  1.  *'  An  Account  of  Tumours  which  soften 
the  Bones,"  Philos.  Trans.  1741,  No.  459.  2.  ««  A  Trea- 
tise on  Ruptures,"  1756,  8vo,' second  edition,  1763.  3. 
**  An  Account  of  a  particular  kind  of  Rupture,  frequently 
attendant  upon  new-born  Children,  and  sometimes  met 
with  in  Adults,"  1756,  Svo.  4.  *^  Observations  on  that 
Disorder  of  the  corner  of  the  Ej^e  commonly  called  Fistula 
Lachrymalis,"  1758,  Svo.  5.  ^'Observations  on  the  Nature 
and  Consequences  of  Wounds  and  Contusions  of  the  Head» 
Fractures  of  the  Skull,  Concussions  of  the  Brain,"  &c. 
1760, '  Svo. '  6.  **  Practical  Remarks  on  the  Hydrocele,  or 
Watery  Rupture,  and  some  other  Diseases  of  the  Testicle, 
its  Coats  and  Vessels.  Being  a  Supplement  to  the  Treatise 
oh  Ruptures,  1762,"  Svo.  7.  "An  Account  of  an  Hernia  of 
the  Urinary  Bladder  including  a  Stone,"  Philos.  Transact, 
vol.  LIV.  1764.  S.  ^*  Remarks  on  the  Disease  commonly 
caled  a  Fistula  in  Ano,"  1765,  Svo.  9.  "  Observations  ou 
the  Nature  and  Consequences  of  those  Injuries  to  which 
the  Head  is  liable  from  external  Violence.  To  which  are 
added,  some  few  general  Remarks  on  Fractures  and  Dislo- 
cations," Svo,  1768.,  This  is  properly  a  second  edition  of 
No.  5.  10,  *'An  Account  of  the  Method  of  obtaining  a 
perfect  or  radical  Cure  of  the  Hydrocele,  or  Watry  Rup- 
ture, by  means  of  a  seton,"  1772,  Svo.  11.  "  Chirur- 
gical  Observations  relative  to  the  Cataract,  the  Polypus  of 
the  Nose,  the  Cancer  of  the  Scrotum,  the  different  kinds 
of  Ruptures,  and  the  Mortification  of  the  Toes  and  Feet,'* 
1775,  Svo.  12.  ^'  Remarks  on  that  kind  of  Palay  of  the 
lower  Limbs,  which  is  frequently  found  to  accompany  a 
Curvature  of- the  Spine,  and  is  supposed  to  be  caused  by 
it;  together  with  its  Method  of  Cure,"  1779,  Svo.  13. 
<'  Further  Remarks  on  the  useless  State  of  the  lower  Liinbs 
in  consequence  of  a  Curvature  of  the  Spine ;"  being  a  sup* 
pleroent  to  the  former  treatise,  17S3,  Svo.  These  works 
were  published  collectively  by  himself,  in  quarto ;  and 
«iuce  bis  death,  in  3  vols,  Svo,  by  bis  son-iiwlaw^  Mr.  (pow 


POTT.  92$ 

sir  James, '  Earle^  witb  occasional  notes  and  observatiohsi 
and  the  last  corrections  of  the  author.  This  edition  was 
published  in  1790';  and  Mr.  Earle  has  prefiared  a  life  of 
Mr.  Pott^  from  which  the  present  account  is  taken. 

We  are  assured,  that  Mr.  J^ott  was  no  less  amiable  in 
private  life  than  eminent  in  his  profession.  While  his 
mother  lived,  he  dedlined  matrimonial  engagement ;  bnt^ 
in  1746,  soon  after  her  death,  he  married  the  daughter  of 
Revert  Cruttenden,  esq.  by  whom  he  had  four  sons  and  as 
many  daughters.  Diiigent  as  he  was  in  his  profession,  he 
never  suffered  his  attention  to  its  avocations  to  interfere 
With'  the  duties  of  a  husband  or  a  father ;  but  though  he 
was  pleasing  as  a  companion^  his  professional  manners  had 
much  of  the  roughness  of  the  old  school  of  surgery.  la  ' 
his  person  be  was  rather  lower  than  the  middle  sise,  wifh 
an  expressive  and  animated  countenance.  For  the  chief 
part  of  his  life  hjs  tabonrs  were  without  relaxation ;  but 
latterly  he  had  a  villa  at  Neasden,  and  usually  passed  about 
a  month  at  Bath,  or  near  the  sea. ' 

POTT£R  (Barnabas),  a  pious  .prelate  of  the  church  of 
England,  y(9s  bom  within  the  barony  of  Kendall,  in  the 
county  of  Westmoreland,  in  157 S  or  1579.  In  his  fifteenth 
year  he  entered  Queen's  college,  Oxford,'  as  a  poor  stu- 
dent, or  tabarder,  but  made  such  progress  in  iiis  studies^ 
that  he  took  his  degrees  with  gi*eat  reputation ;  and  wbea 
master  of  arts,  was  chosen  fellow  of  his  college.  During 
his  fellowship  he  became  tutor  to  the  sons  of  several  gen- 
tlemen of  rank  and  worth,  whotn  be  assiduously  trained  in 
learning  and  rel^ion.  After,  taking  orders,  he  was  for 
#ome  tidie  lectorer  at  Abington,  and  at  Totnes^  in  Devon- 
shire, where  he  was  highly  respected  as  an  affecting 
.preacher,  and  was,  according  to  Wood,  tnuch  followed  by 
>the  puritans.  In  1610  he  was  chosen  principal  of  Edmund 
JSali,  but  resigned,  and  was  never  admitted  into  that 
office.  In  16 15  he  completed  his  degrees  in  divinity;  and 
being  presented  the  following  year  to  a  pastoral  charge^ 
by  sir  Edward  Giles  of  Devonshire,  he  married  the  daugh- 
ter of  that  gentleman,  and  intended  to  settle  in  that  coun- 
try. Such,  however,  was  the  character  he  had  left  behind  him 
at  Oxford,  thst  on  the  death  of  Dr.  Airay,  the  same  year, 
he  was  unanimously  elected  provost  of  Queen's  college,  en- 
tirely without  his  knowledge*  This  station  he  retained 
^bout  ten  years;  and  being  then  one  of  the  king^s  chap- 

'  Life,  prefixed  to  hif  worki.    ' 

Vot.  XXV.  Q 


326  POTTER. 

lahisi,  resigned  the  provostsbip  in  favour-  of  his  nephew^ 
the  subject  of  our  next  article.  He  was  now  again  about 
to  settle  in  Devonshire';  when  king  Charlef^  passing  by,  as 
we  are  told^  many  solicitations  in  favour  of  others,  peremp- 
torily nominated  him  bfshqp  of  Carlisle  in  1628.  Wood 
adds,  that  in  this  promotion  be  had  the  interest  of  bishop 
t^aiid^  <*  although  a  thorough-paced  Calvinist.*'  He  conti^ 
lined,  however,  afnequentand  favourite  preacher;  and; says 
'Fuller,  ^<  was  commonly  called  the imritanicai  bishop;  and 
tbey  would  say  of  him,  in  the  time  of  king  James,  that 
organs  would  blow  him  out  of  the  church ;  which  I  do  not 
believe ;  the  rather,  because  he  was  loving  of  and  skilful 
in  vocal  music,  and  could  bear  bis  own  part  therein.'*. 
!  In.  the  beginning  of  the  long  parliament  he  preached  at 
Westpiinster,  and  inveighed  against  the  corruptions  and 
innovations  thsit  had  crept  into  the  churefa,  and  his  senti- 
ments were  generally  approved  of;  but,  in  the  confusion 
mnd  prejudices  which  ensued,  he  did  not  escape  without 
the  usual  crimes  imputed  to  men  of  rank  in  the  church,  and 
was  censured  as  popish,  merely  becausie  he  was  a  bishop. 
This  treatment,  and  a  foresight  of  the  calamities  about  to 
lall  on  his  church  and  nation,  are  said  to  have  hastened  hia 
•death,  which  happened  at  his  lodgings  in  Covent-garde», 
in  January  1 642.  He  was  intemd  in  the  church  of  St. 
iPaul,  Covent*garden.  He  died,  says  Fuller,  ^^  in  honour, 
being  the  last  bidiop  that  died  a  member  of  parliament'* 

Wood  mentions,  as  his  writings,  *'  Lectures  on  some 

.chiapters  of  Genesis,'^  'but  knows  not  whiether  printed ;  and 

several  sermons;    one,  **The  Baronet's  Burial,''  on  the 

-burial  of  Sir  Edmund  Seymour,  Oxon.   1613,  4 to;  and 

another,  on  E^ter  Tuesday,  one  of  the  Spital  sermons.' 

POTTER  (Christopher),  nephew  to  the  preceding, 
'.  was  born  also  within  the  barony  of  Kendal  in  Westmorland, 
about  1591,  and  becamecl^rkof  Queen's  college,  Oxford, 
.in  the  beginning  of  1606.     On  April  30,  1610;  he  took  the 
,  degree  of  B.  A.  and  July  8, 1 6 1 3,  that  of  M.  A. ;  and  the  same 
-  year  was  chosen  cbaplainof  the  college,  and  afterwards  fellow 
*ofit  He  was  then  a  great  admirer  of  Dr.  Henry  Airay,  pro- 
vost of  that  college,  some  of  whose  works  he  published,  and 
who  was  a  zealous  puritan,  and  a  lecturer  at  Abingdon  in 
Berks,  where  he  was  much  resorted  to  for  his  preaching. 
On  March  the  9th,  1620,  be  took  the  degree  of  bachelor  of 
•  divinity,  and  February  17,  1626*7,'  that*  of  doctor,  having 

*  Ath.  Ox.  Tol.  II. — Clark'g  Lives  of  Modern  Divines. — Fuller's  Worthiff,'^ 
Irloyil's  Meiaoirs,  folio,  where  it  tb«  falleit  a«CQVBt  of  Utcbaracler* 


POTTER-  ?27 

mrceeeded  bis  UQclef  Dr.  Bariiabas  Potter  in  tbeprpTos^ship 
<)f  bis  college  on  tbe  17tb  of  June,  1626.  "  Soon  after,'* 
ijays  ,Mr.  Wood,  <<  wben  Dr.  Land  became  a  rising  favou- 
ji^  at  court,  be,  after  a.great  deal  ofsejekiiig,  was  ma,de  bi9 
prealure,  and  therefore  by  the  precise  party  he  .was .es- 
teemed aq  Arminian."  On  March  the  15th,  16'^8,  he 
preacb^d  a  Sermon  on  John  xxi;  17.  at  the  consecration. of 
bis  uncle  to  the  bishopric  of  Carlisle  at  Ely  HouseunHol- 
J)orn  'y :  which  was  printed  at  London,  .1629,  in  8vo, .  and  iu- 
yolved  bim  in  a  short  controversy  with  Mr.  .Vicars,  a  friend 
pi  bis,  who  blanoed  him  for  a  leaning  towards  Arminianism. 
Jn  1633  .he  publisbed;bis  **  Answer  to  a  late  Popish  Pam* 
phlet,  :entitled.  Charity  mistaken.'*  The  cause  was  this  . 
A  J«|»uit  who  went  by  the  name  of  Edward  Knott,  but  whQse 
true  name  w^  Matthias  Wilson,  bad  publUhed  in  1630^,  a 
Jiittle  book  in ;  S vo,  called  '^  Charity  mistaken,  with  Jtbe 
.3¥s^nt  whereof  Catbolicks  are  unjustly  charged,  for  affirming, 
jas  they  dowith  grief,  that  Protestancy  unrepented  destrojies 
Solvation."  Dr.  Potter  publisbedan  answer  to  this  at  Ox- 
%d,  1633,  in  8vo,'  with  this  title:  "Want  of  Charitie 
justly  charged  on  all  such  Romanists  as  dare  (without  truth 
:  ,or  modesty)  affi^'me,  that  Protestancie  destroy etb  Salvation; 
or,  an  Answer  to  a  late  Popish  paippblet,. intituled,.  Cba* 
xity  mistaken,  ^c."  The  second  edition- revised  anjd/enr  ^ 
larged,  was  printed  at  London,  1634,  in  3vo.  Pryn^e;job- 
iSje.rvesr.that  bishop  Laud,  having  perused .  the  first  edition, 
.paused  some. things  to  be  omitted  in  the  second.  Itisdedi- 
c^ted  to  King  Charles  I.  and  in  the  dedication  Dr.  Potter 
observes,  tbs^t  it  was,"  undertaken  inobedience-to  his  vma^ 
jesty's  particular  commandment." 

..  In  ,1635  be  was  promoted*  to  the  deanery  of-  Worcester, 
paving  before  had  a  promise  of  a  canonry  of  Windsor, 
which  be  never  enjoyed.-  In  1640  he  was,  vice-chan- 
/cellor  of :  tbe^  university  of  Oxford,  in  the  execution  of 
\9Yhich  office  he  met  with  some  trouble  froni  the  members 
pf.tbe  long  .parliaments^  Upon  breaking  out  of  the  civil 
wars,  be  sent  all  bis  plate  to  the  king,  and  declared,  that 
be  Wi)uld  rather,;- like  Diogenes,  drink  in  tbe  hollow  of  s  his 
band,  than  that  bis  majesty  should  want ;  and  he  afterwards 
su0er€^d  much  for  the  royal  cause.  In  consideration  of 
this,  upon  the  death  of  Dr.  Waiter  Balcanqual,  he  was 
npqainated-  to  the  deanery  of  Durham  in  January  1645-6; 
j)ut  was  prevei)ted  from  being  instaUed  by  bis  death,  wbicb 
happened  at  bis  college  March  the  3d  following.     He  was 

Q  2 


i2S  POTTER. 

interred  about  the  middle  of  the  chcpel  there ;'  ttid  btet  IM 
grave  was  a  marble  monument  fastened  to  the  north  wall^ 
at  the  expence  of  his  widovr  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Dr. 
Charles  Soiiibanke,  some  time  canon  of  Windsor,  after- 
wards wife  of  Dr.  Gerard  Langbatne,  who  succeeded  Dr. 
Potter  in  the  provostship  of  Queen's  college.     He  w«f 
a  person  esteemed  by  all  that  knew  him  to  be  learhed  and 
religious ;  exemplary  in  his  behaviour  and  discourse,  cour- 
teous in  his  carriage,  and  of  a  sweet  and  obliging  nature^ 
and  comely  presence.    But  he  was  more  especially  rew 
markable  for  his  charity  to  the  poor ;  for  though  be  had  4 
wife  and  many  children,  and  expected  daily  to  be  seques- 
tered, yet  he  continued  his  usual  liberality  to  them,  havings 
on  bearing  Dr.  Hammond's  sermon  at  St.  PauPs,  been  per^ 
auaded  of  the  truth  of  that  diviners  assertion,  that  charity 
to  the  poor  was  the  way  to  gr6w  richi     He  translated  frond 
Italian  into  English,  **  Father  Paulas  History  of  the  Quar« 
rels  of  Pope  Paul  V.  with  the  State  of  Venice,**  London^ 
1626;  4to;  and  left  several  MSS.  prepared  for  the  pres% 
one  of  which,  entitled  **  A  Survey  of  the  Platform  of  Pre- 
destination,'* falling  into  the  hands  of  Dr*  William  Twiss^ 
of  Newbury,  was  answered  by  him.     This*subject  perhaps 
h  more  fully  discussed  in  his  controversy  with  Mr.  Vicars^ 
vrhich  was  republished  at  Cambridge  in  1719,  in  a  *<  Coi- 
lection  of  Tracts  concerning  Predestination  and  Providence.** 
The  reader  to  whom  this  **  Collection'*  may  not  be  acces- 
sible, will  6nd  an  interesting  extract,  from  Dr.Potter's  part, 
in  Dr.  Wordsworth's  "  Ecclesiastical  Biography,"  voL  V: 
p.  504,  &c.     Chillingworth  likewise  engaged  in  the  con-^ 
troversy  against  Knott. 

Dr.  Potter  had  a  son,  Charles,  who  was  bom  at  Ox- 
ford in  1633,  and  admitted  a  student  of  Christ  Church  in 
1647,  but  after  completing  bis  master's  degree,  he  left  tb^ 
university,  and  when  abroad  with  James  Croits,  afterward* 
created  duke  of  Monmouth,  he  embraced  the  Roman  Ca* 
^holic  religion.  He  was  afterwards  one  of  the  gentlemen 
pshers  to  his  great  uncle.  Dr.  Barnabas  Potter,  bishop  of 
Carlisle.  The  ^*  Theses  Quadragesi males  in  scholis  Oz<k 
piensibus  public^  pro  forma  discussal,"  Oxon,  1649,  12mo^ 
was  published  with  his  name,  bat  the  real  author  was  bis 
9oHege  tutor,  Mr.  Thomas  Severn.  * 

POTTER  (Francis),  a  learned  English  divine,  son  of^ 
Bflr.  Riqhard  Potter,  a  native  of  Oxfordshire^  and  vicar  ^f 

\  Aik.  Qx,  rol.  IL-^fien.  ];^i«t.^FqU«r'i  Woithic«. 


POTTER.  f  2f 

Heyre'ifiWiftabire^  msborntn  th^ricarage  house  there 
OQ.Triaity  Sonday  1594,  and  educated  in  gtemmar  learninc; 
in  tfaeking'il  school  at  Worcester  under  Mr.  Henry  Bright. 
He  became  a  comtnoner  of  Trinity  college,  in  Otfard,  on* 
<ier  bis  elder  brother  Hannibal  Potter,  id  the  latter  end  of 
«he  year  1609.  On  July  9,  1613,  he  took  the  degree  of 
B»  A. ;  .June26, 1615,  that  of  M.  A.  ;  and  July  8, 1625,  that 
of  B.  D.  He  continued  a  close  student  in  his  college  till  the 
death  of  his  father,  in  1 6S7  ;  and  then  succeeded  him  ia 
the  rectory  of  Kilmington,  left  the  university,  and  retired 
to  his  living,  where  he  Itred  in  a  very  retired  manner  till 
bis  deathl  In  1642  ha  published  at  Oxford  in  4to,  a  trea- 
tise entitled  **  An  Interpretation  of  the  number  666. 
Wherein  not  onely  the  manner  how  this  number  ought  to 
be  interpreted  is  clearly  proved  and  demonstrated ;  but  it 
is  also  shewed,  that  this  number  is  an  exquisite  and  perfect 
character,  truly,  exactly,  and  essentially  describing  that 
•tate  of  government,  to  which  all  other  notes  of  Antichrist 
do  agree.  With  all  knowne  objections  solidly  and  fuUy 
answered,  that  can  be  materially  made  against  it.''  Prefixed 
to  it  is  the  following  opinion  of  the  learned  Joseph  Mede  : 
^^  This  discourse  or  tract  of  the  number  of  the  beast  is.the 
happiest  that  ever  yet  came  into  the  world,  and  such  as 
cannot  be  read  (save  of  those  that  perhaps  will  not  beleeve 
it)  without  much  admiration.  The  gromid  hath  been  harped 
on  before,  namely,  that  that  number  was  to  be  explicated  by 
some  mttaroij^  to  the  number  of  the  Virgin-company  and 
new  Hierusalem,  which  type  the  true  and  Apostolical 
Churchy  whose  number  is  aJways  derived  from  XII.  -But 
never  did  any  worke  this  principal  to  such  a  wonderfull  dis- 
covery, as  tliis  author  hath  done,  namely,  to  make  this 
mimber  not  onely  to  shew  the  manner  and  property  of  that 
state,  whieh  was  to  be  that  beast,  but  to  designe  the  city 
therein  he  should  reigne;  the  figul^e  and  compasse  thereof ; 
the  number  of  gates,  cardinall  titles  or  churches,  St.  Pe* 
ter's  altar,  and  I  know  not  how  many  more  the  like,  t 
vead  the  book  at  first  with  as  much  prejudice  Against  the 
numerical  speculation  .as  might  be,  and  almost  against  my 
will,  having  met  with  so  much  vanitie  formerly  in  that 
kinde.  But  by  the  time  I  had  done,  it  left  me  possesi 
with  as  much  admiration,  as  I  came  to  it  with  prc^udice.^* 

This  treatise  was  afterwards  translated  into  French^ 
Dutch,  and  Latin.  The  Latin  version  was  made  by  several 
Jmftds.     One  edition  was  all  or  most  traoslated  by  Mi; 


fe3p  POTTER. 

Thdmas  Gilbert,  of  Edmund  Hall,  in  Oxford^  and  print^^^ 
at  Amsterdam -1677,  in  8vo;  part  of  the  Latin  translatioo 
18  inserted  in.  the  second  part  of  .the  fourth  volume  of  ^ 
Pool's  *^  Syfiopsis  Criticorum.'*  Our-  author's  treatise  was 
attacked  by  Mr.  Lambert  Morehouse,  minister  of  Prest*. 
woody  near  Kilmlngton,  who  asserts,  that  25  is  not  tbm 
true,  butipropinque  root  of  666.  Mr.  Patter  wrote  a.Reply 
to.  him.  Mr.  Morehouse. gave  a  manuscript  copy  of  this 
dispute  to  Dr.  Seth  Ward,  bishop  of  Sarum,  in  1668.  Our 
auUior,  while  he  was  very  young,  had  a  good  talent  at 
drawing  and  painting,  anA  the  founder's  picture  in  tlve  hall 
of  Tribity  .college  is  of  his  copying.  He  had  likewise  jan 
excellent  genius  for  mechanics,  and  made  several  inven- « 
tions  for  raising  of  water,  and  water*engines ;  which  bein^ 
co^omunicated  to  the  Royal  Society,  about  the  time  of  its 
fi^st  .establishment,  were  highly  approved  of,  and  he  was 
admitted  a  member  of  that  society.  ]Vfr.  Woo.d  likewise 
observes,  that  about.  16 40,  <^he  entertained  the  notioa 
of,  curing  dilseases  by  transfusion  of  blood  out  of  one 
man  into  another^  the  hint  whereof  came  into  his  head 
from  Ovid's  story  of  Medea  and  Jason;  which  matter  he 
communicating  to  the  Royal  Society  about  the  time  of  i|s 
first  c;^ection,  it. was  entered  into  their  books.  But  this 
way  of  transfusion  haying  (as  it  is  said)  been  mentioned 
long  before  by  Andr.  Liba^ius,  our  .author  Potter  (v^bo  I 
dare  say  never  saw  that  writer)  is  not  to  be  the  first  inveotor 
<>f  that  notion^  nor  Dr.  Richard  Lewen,  but  rather  an  adr 
vancer."  He  became  blind  before  his  deaths  and  died  at 
•  Kilpoin'gton  about  April  1678,  and  was  buried  in  the  .obafi^ 
eel  of.  the  ch.urch  there.  His  memory  was  preserved  i« 
Tdnity  college'until  1670  by  a  di^l,  which  he  constructed 
and  placed  on  the  north  side  of  the  old  quadrangle,  .but 
there  is, now  anotlier  in  its  room.  There  are  many  anec^ 
'  dotes  oi  him  in  the  Aubrey  MSS.  but  none*  perhaps  mor^ 
WQrth  transcribing  than  the  following.  ^'  The  last  time  .1  , 
saw  him^"  says  Aubrey,  ^^  I  asked  him  why  he  did  not  .get . 
some  cousin  or  kinsman  to  be  with  him,  and  look  to  hipst 
t)ow  in  his  great  age  i  He  answered  me,  that  he  had  tried 
that  way,  .and^  found  it  not  so  well ;  for  they  did.  begrudge 
what  he  spent,  that  it  was  top  mucb»  and  went  from  them, 
whetreas  his  servants  (strangers)  were  kind  to  him,  and  took 
care  .of  him."  Aubrey  adds,  that  in  the  **  troublespme 
times  it  was  his  happiness  .  never  to  be  sequestered.  He 
lNra9  once,  maliciously  informed  itgainst  to  th^  cpmmitte$^  at 


F  Q  T  T  TE  ft.        N  23  L 

Y^ol]s;(tfc  thing  T:ery  common,  in  those  times);  but  when  he 
came  before  them,  one  of  tbem  (I  have  forgot  his  name) 
ga?e  him  a  pint  of .  wine,  ai^d  gfve  him  great  praise, .  and 
biK)eh]j|ngo  home,  siod  fear  nothing/'  He. seems. to^faaiVp 
wanted  only  opportojiities  of  conversing  more  frequently 
with  hi».  hearned  contemporaries  to  have  made  a  distin* 
guished  figure  in  the  infancy  of  the  Royal  Society*  - 
"^  ijis  brother,  Dr.  Hannibal  Potter,  who  t^d  been  his 
tutor  at  college,  was,  upon  the  death  of  Dr.  Kettle,  elected 

'  pferideot  of  Trinity  college,  but  was  ejected  by  the  par-» 
liajnentary  chancellor,  lord  Pembroke  in  person,  attended 
by  the  parliamentary  visitors  and  a  guard  of  soldiers  His 
only  subsistence  afterwards  was  a  poor  curacy  ot^oL  a  vear^ 
from  which  he: was  also  ejected  for  using  some  part  of  th^ 
Littfrgy.  *  .  . 

POTTER  (John),  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  was  the 

'K0O  o& Thomas  Potter,  a  linen  draper  at  Wakefield^ia  XoHk» 
shire,,  ^ere .  he  was  bom  about  the  year  167f.  He  was 
educated  at  a  school  at  Wakefield,  and  it  is  said,  jpiade  aa 
ttnd0mmon  progress,  in^  a  sboirt  time,  especially  in  th# 
Greek  languague.  That  this,  however,  was  a  prioate  school 
se£^s  to  be  taken  for  granted  by  Dr.  Parr,  who,  after  meii-* 
tioning.  that  j»ur  author's  Latin  productions  are  not  free 
ft;ic>m  fauljts,  says  that  he  would  have  been  taught  to  avoid  • 
these  f^  in  our  best  public  seminaries.^'  At  the  age  of  four«^ 
teea,  Mr.  Potter  was  sent  to  Oxford,  and  entered  a  battler 
of  University  college  in  the  b|;ginning.  of  ,1663.;  There  is 
^yi^y  Tesuaem  to  think^hat  hi*  diligence  heifer  was  eixemplary 

>  and  successful ;  for,  after. Caking  his  bachelor's  degree,.  Ire 
w^  employed  by  the  roi^r  of  his  college,  the  learned  Dn  ' 
Charletty  to  compile  a  work  for  the  use  of  his  fellow  stu-» 
dents,  .entitled,  ^^  Variantes  leQtiones  et  notm  ad  Plutarchi 
librum  de '  andiendis  poetis,  item  Yariantes  lectiones, .  &c. 
ad  BasUii  Magni  orationen} Ad  juveaes,  quomodd  cum  fractu 
legere  possio)^  Grsecorum  libros,"  8vo..  This  was  printed  at 
the  Uiii;versity  press,  Jihen  in  the  Theatre,  in  1693,  at  the 
ei^|>ence:of  Df.  Cbarlett,  who  used  to  present  copies  of  it, 
a$ji  new^'ye^'s'gift,  t(v  the  young  .students  of  University 
college,  .tod  tp  others  of  his.  friends. 

In  16d4  he  was  chosen .  fellow  of  Lincoln  college,  and 
proceediog  M.  A.  iu  .October  of  the.  same  year,  he  took 
pupils  and  went  into  orders.     Still,  pursuing  bis  private 

^  Atb.  Ox.  vol.  II.-^Aubrey  MSS.  in  Letteirf  of  EfiH4i|it?«rt9nf,  9  voli.  8v^ 
it|S.— flto.  Diet.— Walker^s  SuffjriDgt  of  th«  C]ef!gr» 


2S2  Pf  O  T  T  E  R. 

fltudiesy  he  produced,  in  1697,  bis  beaatifdl  edition  of  Lj^ 
Copbron^s  ^^  Alexandra,^'.  foL  tbe  secood  edition^  of  wbicb^ 
in  1702,  Dr.  Harwood  prpnounces  "an  everlasting  mOBu^ 
ipent  of  the  learning  of  tbe  illustrious  editor.'*  It  is  no 
inconsiderable  proof  of  bis  having  distinguished  himself  in 
tbe  republic  of  letters;  that  we  find  him  already  cor- 
n^ponding  with  many  eminent  scholars  on  the  contineD^ 
mild  among  Dr.  Mead's  letters  are  some  from  Mr.  Potter  to 
GrsBvius,  from  whom  be  received  tbe  Basil  edition  of  Ly* 
copbron,  1546,  collated  with  ancient  vallum  MSS.  and  by 
this  assistance^  he  was  enabled  to  cc^'rect  and  enlarge  thie 
commentaries  of  Tzetzes  in  no  less  than  two  hundred  places, 
and  throw  much  additional  light  on  this  very  obscure  poem. 
In  the  same  year  he  printed  the  first  volume  of  his  Arcbaeo- 
logia  Grseca,"  or  Antiquities  pf  Greece,  and  in  the  fol- 
lowing year,  1698,  the  second  volume.  Several  improve- 
ments were  introdi^;ed  by  him  in  the  subsequent  editions  of 
this  valuable  wbrk,  which  has  hit^rto  been  unrivalled,  and 
be  lived  to  see  at  least  five  editions  printed.  It  still  con- 
tinues a  standard  book  for  Geeek  students.  It  was  incorpo^ 
rated  in  Gronovius's  Thesaurus.  In  the  preface  to  the  fifth 
edition  he  speaks  of  a  Latin  edition  printed  in  Holland^,  the 
publisher  of  which  pretended.it  was  corrected  by  the  author ; 
but  be  assures  us  that  '^he  never  saw  it  till  it  was  all 
printed,  and  therefore  the  many  ervors  in  it  must  not  be 
imputed  to  him."  "     • 

In  July  1704  he  conunenced  bachelor  of  divinity,  and 
being  about  tbe  saiUe  time  apjpeinted  chaplain  t#«rcbbisbop 
Tenison,  be  removed  from  Oxford  to  reside  at  Lambeth 
palace.  He  proceeded  D.  D.  in  April  1 706,  and  soon  aftw 
bebame  chaplain  in  ordinary  to  queen  Anne.^  In  1707  ap- 
peared his  first  publicatioo  connected  with  his  profession, 
entitled  a  ^*  l!)iscourse  of  Church  Government,'*  S^vo.  In 
this  he  asserts  the  constitution,  rights,  and  government,  of 
the  Christian  church,  chiefly  as  described  by  the  fathers  <^ 
the  first  three  centuries  against  Eras|}||an  principles ;  his  de* 
sign  being  to  vindicate  tbe  ehuroh  of  En^and  from  4be 
charge  of  those  principles.  In  this  view,  among  other 
ecclesiastical  powers  distinct  from  the  state,  he  maintains 
the  doctrine  of  our  church,  concerning  the  distihctioD  of 
the  three  orders  of  bishops,  priests,  and  deacons,  particu* 
larly  with  regard  to  the  superiority  of  the  episcopal  ordof 
above  that  of  presbyters,  which  he  endeavours  to  prove 
was  settled  by  divine  institutioti :  that  this  distinction  w«$ 


P  O  T  T  E  R.  i$$ 

in  feet  constantly  kept  up  to  the  time  of  Constantine  :  and 
in  the  neict  age  after  that^  the  same  distinction^  he  observes, 
was  constantly  reckoned  to  be  of  divine  institution,  and 
derired  from  the  apostles  down  to  these  times.  ' 

'  In  the  beginning  of  1708,  he  succeeded  Dr.  Jane  as  re^ 
gius  professor  of  divinity,  and  canon'  of  Christ  Church, 
who  brought  him  back  to  Oxford.  This  promotion  he 
owed  to  the  interest  of  the  celebrated  duke  of  Marlborough, 
and  to  the  opinion  held  concerning  him  that  he  was  *a 
Whig ;  whereas  Dr.  Smalridge,  whom  the  other  party 
wished  to  succeed  in  the  professorship  and  canonry,  had 
distinguished  himself  by  opposition  to  the  whig-measures 
of  the  court.  In  point  of  qualification  these  divines  might 
be  equal, '  and  Dr.  Potter  certainly,  both  as  a  scholar  and 
divine,  was  liable  to  no  objection.  It  was  probably  to  the 
same  interest  that  he  owed  his  promotion,  in  April  1715,  to 
Ae  see  qf  Oxford.  Just  before  he  was  made  bishop  he 
published,  what  had  occupied  his  attention  a  very  consri^ 
derable  time,  his  splendid  and  elaborate  edition  of  the 
works  of  Clemens  Alexandrinus,  2  vols.  fol.  Gr.  and  Lac. 
an  edition,  says  Harwood,  **  worthy  of  the  celebrity  of  the 
place  where  it  was  published,  and  the  erudition  of  the  very 
learned  prelate,  who  has  so  happily  illustrated  this  miscef*^ 
lan^ous  writer."  In  this  he  has  given  an  entire  new  version 
of  the  **  Cohortations,"  and  intended  to  have  done  the 
same  for  the  *^  Stromata,''  but  was  prevented  by  the  duties 
6f  his  professorship.  In  his  preface  he  intreats  the  reader^s 
eiindour  as  to  some  typographical  errors,  he  being  afflicted 
during  part  of  the  printing  by  a  Complaint  in  his  eyes, 
which  obliged  him  to  trust  the  correction  of  the^  press  to 
ethers. 

«  For  some  time  after  his  being  made  bishop  of  Oxford,  he 
fetained  the  divinity  chair,  and  filled  both  the  dignities 
with  great  reputation,  rarely  failing  to  preside  in  person 
over  the  divinity  disputations  in  the  schools,  and  regularly 
lioiding  his  triennial  visitation  at  St.  Mary^s  church  ;  upon 
which  occasions  his  charges  to  the  clergy  were  suited  to  the 
exigencies  of  the  times.  In  1717,  Dr.  Hoadly,  then  hi* 
shop  of  Bangor,  having  advanced  some  doctrines,  respect* 
ing  sincerity,  in  one  of  his  tracts,  which  our  prelate  judged 
to  be  injurious  to  true  religion,  he  took  occasion  to  ani- 
madvert upon  them  in  his  first  visitation  the  following  year; 
Mt4  bis  charge  having  been  published,  at  the  request  of  his 
elei'gy^  Di^^  Hoadly  answered  it,  which  ptoduced  a  reply, 


«34  POTTER. 

from  .our  prelate.  In  this  short  controversy,  he  displayed 
more  warmth. than  was  thought  consistent  with  the  general 
moderation  of  his  temper ;  but  auch  were  his  arguments  and 
his  character,  that  Hoadly  is  said  to  have  been  more  con- 
cerned on  account  of  this  adversary  than  of  any  other  he 
had  thtsn  encountered. 

Some  time  after  this  he  became  much  a  favourite  with 
queen  Caroline,  then  princess  of  Wales  ;  and  upon  the  ac- 
cession of  George  II.  preached  the  coronation  sermon,  Oct. 
11,  1727,  which  was  afterwards  printed  by  his  majesty's 
express  commands,  and  is  inserted  among  the  bishop's 
theological  works.  It  was  generally  supposed  that  the 
chief  direction  of  public  afiairs,  with  regard  to  the  church, 
was  designed  to  be  committed  to  his  care;  but  as  he  saw 
that  this  must  involve  him  in  the  politics  of  the  times,  he 
declined  the  proposal,  and  returned  to  his  bishopric,  until 
the  death  of  Dr.  Wake,  in  January  1737,  when  he  was  ap» 
pointed  his  successor  in  the  archbishopric  of  Canterbury. 
This  high  office  he  filled  during  the  space  of  ten  years  with 
great  reputation,  and  towards  the  close  of  that  period  fell 
into  a  lingering  disorder,  which  put  a  period  to  his  life  Oct. 
10,  1747,  in  the  seventy- fourth  year, of  his  age.  He  was 
buried  at  Croydon. 

He  left  behind  him  the  character  of  a  prelate  of  distin- 
guished piety  and  learning,  strictly  orthodox  in  respect  to 
the  established^  doctrines  of  the  church  of  England,  and  a 
zealous  ailri  vigilant  guardian  of  her  interests.  He  was  a 
great  advocate  for  regularity,  order,  and  oecaoomy,  bat 
he  supported  the  dignity  of  his  high  office  of  archbisbopy  in 
a  manner  which  was  by  some  attributed  to  a  baughtinesa  of 
temper.  Whiston  is  his  principal  accuser,  in  this  respect^ 
but  allowances  must.be  made  for  that  writer's  prejudices, 
especially  when  we  find  that  among  the  heaviest  chaiges 
h%  brings  against  th^  archbishop  is  his  having  the  Athana<- 
sian  Creed  read  in  bis  chapel.  He  had  a  numerous  family 
of  children,  of  whom  three  daughters  and  two  sons  survived 
him.     One  of  his  daughters,  Mrs.  Sayer,  died  in  1771. 

His  eldest  son,  John  Potter,  born  in  1713,  after  apri* 
vate  education,  was  entered  a  member  of  Christ  Churcliy 
Oxford,  in  .1727,  and  took  his  master's  degree  in  1734. 
After  he  went  into  orders/  be  obtained  from  his  father  the 
vicarage  of  Blackburne,  in  the  county  of  Lancaster,  and  ia 
1739,  the  valuable  sinecure  of  Elme  cum  Emneth,  ip  the 
isle^of  Ely.    In^  1741  (lis.  JE^ther  presented  him  to  tb^  arch-. 


POT  T  E  It  23j5 

<ieaconry  of  Oxford.  His  other  promotions  were  the  vtca<^ 
mge  of  ;Lydde  in  Kent,  the  twelfth  prebend  of  Canterbury, 
and  the  rich  benefice  of  Wrotfaam  in  Kent,  with  which  he 
retained  the  vicarage  of  Lydde*  In  1 766  he  was  advanced 
to  the  de^nftry  of .  Canterbury,  on  which  be  resigned  the 
archdeaconry  of  Oxford.  He  died  at  Wrotham  Sept.  2Q, 
1 770,  -  He  offended  his  father  very  much  by  marrying  one 
of  his  servants,  in  consequence  of  which,  although  the 
archbishop^  as  we  have  seen,  gave  him  many  preferments, 
be  left  his  personal  fortune,  which  has  been  estimated  at 
70,000/.  some  say  90,000/.  to  his  second  son,  Thomas  Pot- 
ter, esq.  who  followed  the  profession  of  the  law,  became 
recorder  9f  Bath,  joint  vice-:treasurer  of  Ireland,  and  mem- 
ber of  parliament  for  Aylesbury  and  Oakhampton.  He 
died  June,  17,   1759. 

The  Archbishop's  works  were  published  in  1753,.  3  vols. 
8vo,^  under  the  title  of  "TbeTheological  Worksof  Dr.John 
Potter,  &c.  containing  bis  Sermons,  Charges,  Discourse  of 
Cburch.*gdverninent,  and  Divinity  Lectures.'*  He  had 
himaelf  fMrepared  these  for  the  press  ;  his  divinity  lectures 
forme  continued  treatise  on  the  authority  and  inspiration  of 
the, Scriptures.  SomeJetters  of  his,  relative  to  St.  Luke's 
Gospel,  &c.  are  printed  in  "Atterbury's  Correspondence."* 

POTTER  or  POTER  (Paul),  an.  excellent  landscape 
painter,  was i born  ^tEnkbuysen,  in  1625,  and  learned  the 
principles  of  painting  from  his  father,  Peter  Potter,  who 
was, but  a  moderate  artist ;  yet,  by  the  power  of  an  enlarged 
gii^nius  and  uncommon  capacity,  which  he  discovered  even 
in,bis  infapdy,  hi^  improvement- was  so  extraordinary,  that  •** 
he  was  considered  as  a  prodigy,  and  appeared*  an , expert 
master  in  bis  profession  at  the  age  of  fifteen. 
.  .  Paurs.\subjepts  were  landscapes,  with  different  animals,., 
iiotrprincipally  cows,-  oxen,  sheep,  and  goats,  which  he 
p;stintjed  in  the  highest  perfection.  His  colouring  is  saft, 
agreeable^  and  transparent,  and  appears  to  be  true  nature; 
iis  tguch  is  free,*an4  exceedingly  delicate,  and  his  outline 
very  cprr;ect.  His  skies,  trees,  and  distances,  shew  a  re- 
markable freedom,  of  hand,  .and  a  masterly  ease  and  negli- 
gence: but  his  animals,  are  exquisitely  finished,  and  touched 
..with  abundance  of  spirit.  On  these  accounts  he  is  es- 
tee^i^d.one  of. the  best  painters  of  the.  Low  Countries. 
J^^t  only  ao^usement, was. walking  into  the  fields  ;.  and  even 

. .  »  Biog.. Brit.— Alb.  Ox.  yol.  ^I.^NichoU'8  Bowyer.— Whiston'g  Life.    . 


236  P  O  T  T  E  K. 

that  amusement  be  so  managed,  as  to  make  it  conduce  to 
the  advancement  of  his  knowledge  in  that  art;  for  he 
always  sketched  every  scene  and  object  on  the  spot,  and 
afterwards  composed  his  subjects  from  his  drawings;  fre^ 
quently  he  etched  those  sketches,  and  the  prints  are  de- 
servedly very  estimable. 

The  paintings  of  Potter  are  exceedingly  coveted,  and  bear 
a  high  price ;  because,  beside  their  intrinsic  merit,  the  artist 
having  died  young,  in  his  twenty-ninth  year,  in  1654,  and 
not  painted  a  great  number  of  pictures,  they  are  now  scarcely 
to  be  procured  at  any  rate.  One  landscape,  which  origi- 
nally he  painted  for  the  countess  of  Solms,  was  afterwards 
sold  (as  Houbraken  affirms)  to  Jacob  Van  Hoeck,  for  200O 
florins.  Lord  Grosvenor  has  in  his  collection  a  small  work  '. 
bf  Potter's,  for  which  his  lordship  gave  900  guineas.' 

POTTER  (Robert),  an  excellent  classical  scholar  and 
translator,  was  born  in  1721 ;  but  where,  or  of  what  fa«- 
mily,  we  have  not  discovered.     He  was  educated  at  Em-* 
manuel  college,  Cambridge,  and' took  his  bachelor's  degree 
in  1741,  but  that  of  master  not  until  1788,  according  to 
the  published  list  of  Cambridge  graduates,  probably  owing 
to  his  being  then  made  a  dignitary  in  Norwich  cathedral. 
His  first  preferment  was   the  vicarage    of   Scarning   in 
Norfolk,  in  the  gift  of  the  Warner  family ;  and,  until  he 
completed  his  translation  of  Sophdcles,  he  held  no  higher 
.preferment.     In  1774,  he  published,  in  octavo,  a  volume 
of  poems,  some  of  which  had  appeared  before  separately: 
they  consist  of,  "A  Birth-day  Thought;'*  <*  Cynthia;*' 
'**  Verses  to  the  same  ;'*  <*  Retirement,  an  epistle  to  Dr^ 
Hurd ;"  "  A  Fragment  ;'•  "  Verses  to  the  painter  of  Mrs. 
Longe*s  picture  at  Spixworth ;"  "  An  Ode  to  Phibdea  ;*^  ^ 
'<  Verses  to  the  same,  exemplifying  the  absurdity  of  an 
affected  alliteration  in  poetry  ;*'  *^  Two  Pieces  in  imita- 
tion of  Spenser  ;*'    **  Holkham,  inscribed  to  the  earl  of  * 
Leicester  ;'^  **  Kymber,  to  Sir  A.  Woodhouse ;"  and  a  cho* 
rus  from  the  '^  Hecuba*'  of  Euripides,  his  intended  trans- 
lation of  whose  tragedies  he  announces  in  an  advertise^ 
ment.     In  most  of  these  poems,  particularly  the  ^*  Holk- 
ham,** and  ^<  Kymber,**    he  shews   himself  a  succemful 
imitator  of  Pope.     In  the  following  year  he  published  a 
very  judicious  tract,  entitled  "  Observations  on  the  Poor 
Laws,  on  the  present  state  of  the  Poor,  and  on  houses  of 

1  PJlkiogtoB.— Rcts'f  Cydoi^ift.«-AifeB?iU«,  vol.  HI.— Dncaniri^  vol.  fit 


P  O  T  T  E  B.  2il 

Industiy/'  in  which  bis  principal  object  was,  to  recom* 
mend  houses  of  industry,  upon  the  plan  of  those  already 
established  in  some  parts  of  Norfolk  aud  SuffoUc,  particu* 
lariy  that  at  Buloamp. 

Although  Mr.  Potter  had  announced  his  ^^  Euripides*'  as 
in  a  state  of  preparation  for  the  press,  he  first  published^ 
in  1777,  his  translation  of  ^^^schylus/'  in  a  quarto  vo- 
lume, indisputably  the  best  translation  of  any  Greek  poet 
that  had  appeared  in  the  English  language.     In  the  same 
year  appeared  his  '^  Notes  ^on  the  Tragedies  of  JEschylus,'^ 
about  eighty  pages  in  quarto.     These  were  dedicated  to 
Mrs.  Montague,  at  whose  request  they  were  written,  and 
were  printed  and  distributed  at  her  expence  gratis  to  the 
purchasers  of  the  tragedies.     A  second  edition  appeared 
in  1779,  in  two  volumes  octavo,  corrected  in  many  places^ 
and  with  the  notes  inserted  in  their  respective  places.     In 
1781,  he  published  the  first  volume  of.  his  translation  of 
**  Euripides,"  in  quarto ;-  and,  the  following  year,  the  se- 
cond;  and,  in  1788,  that  of  **  Sophocles,"    in  the  same 
si2e^     These last*mentioned  versions  are,  on  the  whole,  in« 
ferior  to  his  first  production,  yet  they  are  each  of  them 
excellent  performances,     and    thought  even  superior  to 
those  of  Mr.  Wodhuil  and  Dr..  Franklin.     Besides   these 
very- laborious  works,  Mr.  Potter  published,  in  1783,  in 
quarto^  <^  An  Enquiry  into  some  passages  of  Dr.  Johnson's 
Lives  of  the  Poets ;"  in  which  we  are  sorry  to  observe  a 
degree  of  petulance  unworthy  of  liberal  criticism ;  and,  in 
1785,  in  qaarto,  ^^  A  Translation  of  the  Oracle  concerning 
Babylon,  and  the  Song  of  Exultation,  firom  Isaiah,  cbap% 
xiiL  and  xiv.'*  and  '^  A  Sermon  on  the  Thanksgiving  for  the 
Peace,   1802.** 

In  1788  he  was  promoted  by  the  lord  chancellor  Thur« 
low  to  the  dignity  of  a  prebendary  in  the  cathedral  of  Nor- 
wich. He  had  been  a  schoolfellow  of  lord  Thurlow,  and 
had  constantly  sent  bis  publications  to  that ,  nobleman^ 
without  ever  soliciting  a  single  favour  from  him.  On  re-^ 
ceiviog  a  copy  of  the  <^  Sophocles,*'  however,  his  lordship 
wrote  a  short  note  to  Mr.  Potter,  acknowledging  the  receipt 
of  his  books  from  time  to  time,  and  the  pleasure  they  bad 
afforded  him,  and  requesting  Mf.  Potter's  acceptance  of 
a  prebeudal  stall  in  the  cathedral  of  Norwich.  In  the 
following  year,  and  during  his  residence  at  Norwich, 
the  united  vicarages  of  Lowestoft  and  Kessingland  were 
presented  to  him^  without  solicitation^from  any  quarter,  by 


33S  POTTER. 

» 

-Br.  Bagot,  then  bishop  of  Norwich.  His  mindiwfts  sensibly 
impressed  by  such  a  disinterested  and  honourable  mark  of 
•that  prelate's  favour,  which  was  the  greater,  as  these 
united  vicarages  were  the  best  subject  of  patronage  that  fell 
Yacant  during 'the  seven  years  that  Dr.  Bagot  held  the  ^e^. 
^r.  Potter  died  suddenly,  in  the  night-time,  at  Lowestoff, 
Aug.  9,  1804,  in  the  eighty-third  year  of- his  age..  .HiS 
was  a  man  of  unassuming  simple  manners,  and  his  life  was 
exemplary.  His  translations  are  a  sufficient  proof  of  vliia 
intimate  acquaintance  with  classical  learning,  and  in'tbi9 
character  he  was  highly  respected  by  the  literati  of  his 
time.  It  is  said  that  he  left  a  manuscript  biography  of?  the 
learned  men  of  Norfolk,  .but  into  whose  hands  this,  hai 
fallen,  we  have  not  heard.^ 

.  P.OUGET  (Francis  Amb'),  a  French  divine,  succes- 
sively priest  of  the  oratory,  doctor  of  the  Sorbonne,  and 
'abb6  of  Chambon,  was  born  at  Montpellier  in  1666.  .He 
-was  some  time  at  the  head  of  an-  ecclesiastical  seminary, 
under  Colbert,  bishop  of  Montpellier;  where  he  wasfQf 
infinite  service,  not  only  by  the  excellence  of  his  jnstruc* 
dons,  but  the  purity  of  his  example.  He  was  vicar  of  St. 
Roch  at  Paris,  in  1692,  andi  had  there  the  credit*of  con- 
tributing to  the  penitence  of  the  celebrated  La  Fantaine^ 
of  which  the  English  reader  .may  see  his  own  curious  ac* 
count  in  the  **  New  Men^oirs  of  Literature,'-  vol.  X.;  His 
latter  days  were  passed  at  Paris,  in  the  religious  house  of 
St.  Magloire,  where  he  died  in  1723,  at  the  age  of  iifty^ 
seven.  Father  Fouget  was  the  author  of  some  works,-  of 
which  the  most  remarkable  is,  '^  The  Catechism  of  Mont- 
pellier,'* the  best  edition  of  which  is  that  of  Paris  in  1702, 
in  4to.  It  is  a  kind  of  body  of  divinity,  and  has  bjeen  con- 
sidered by-  the  clergy  of  his  communion  as  the, most  pre- 
cise, clear,  and  elegantly  simple  statement  of  ^  the  doc- 
trines and  practices  of  religion  that-  has  ever  been  pro- 
duced. He  was  concerned  in- some  other  works,  which 
were  not  entirely  his  own  ;'  such  as  "  The- Breviary  of^Nar- 
bonne;"  '^  Martinay's  edition  of  St.  Jerom ;  Montfauco^'s 
Greek  Analects^  and  a  book  of  instructions  for  the. Knights 
of  Malta.' 
POULLAIN  (Francis.);    See  BARRE'. 

1  9enL  Mag.  vol.  LXXIV.  and  LXXXIIL^-Forbei'i  Life  of    Beattic— 
KichaU*  Bowyer.'— Monthly  Reriew. 
s  Mor6n.*-Dict.  Hist. 


P  O  UP  ART.  if39 

1  POUPART  (Francis)  j  a  celebrated  anatomist  and  phy- 
stetaii,  was  i>orD  at,  Mans,-  and  after  receiving  soma  educa- 
tion ander  the  fathers  of  oratory,  went  to  Paris,  where  he 
« applied  himself,  with  great  assiduity,  to  natural  history 
and  philosophy.  In  the  study  of  the  former  he  had  be^n 
led  to  the  eicamioation  and  dissection  of  insects,  which 
turned  his  mind  to  anatomy  and  surgery,  as  the  means  of 
support;  for  which  purpose  he  presented  himself  at  the 
HcKel  Dieu,  and  passed  his  examinations  with  great 
appiaastf,  which  occasioned  the  more  surprise,  as  he 
airowed  that  he  had  had  no  opportunity  of  obtaining  prac* 
tical  information,  and  knew  no  more  of  surgery  than  to  let 
^lood.  He  subsequently  received  the  degree-  of  doctor  in 
medicine  at  Rheims,  in  169-9,  and  wa»  admitted  a. member 
of  the  Academy  of  Sciences.  He  did  not  long  survive  to 
receive  the  rewards,  of  his  industry  ;  for  he  died  at  Paris, 
in  October  1708,  in  a  state  of  considerable  poverty,  which 
he  supported  with  cheerfulness.  His  success  in  anatomical 
investigation  may  be  estimated  from  the  transmission  of  his 
name,  attached  to  an  important  ligament.  The  Memoirs  of 
the  Academy  comprize  many  of  his  papers,  besides  a 
*^  Dissertation  sur  la  Sangue,''  published  in  the  Journal  des 
Savans ;  viz.  a  ''  M^moire  sur  ies  Insectes  Hermaphro- 
dites ;"  ^*  L'Histoire  du  Formica  Leo  ;"  that  of  the  **  For- 
mica Pulex;"  "  Observations  sur  Ies  Moules;"  "  Disser- 
tation sur  T  Apparition  des  Esprtts,*'  on  the  occasion  of 
the  adventure  of  St.  Maur,  and  some  other  papers.  He  is 
also  considered  as  the  editor  of  a  ^^  Chirurgie  complette,** 
which  is  a  compilation  from  many  works  upon  that  art. ' 
.  POURCHOT  (Edmund),  an  eminent  French  professor 
of  philosophy,  was  born  at  Poiliy,.  a  village  in  the  diocese 
of  Sens,  in  the  year  1651,  and  studied  at  the  university  of 
Paris,  where  he  distinguished  himself  by  his  talents  and 
great  diligence,  and  in  1673  he  was  admitted  to  the  de- 
gree of  M.  A.  In  the  year  1677  he  was  appointed  profes- 
sor of  philosophy  in  his  own  college,  whither  his  repntatioa 
soon  attracted  a  multitude  of  students ;  and  at  the  opening 
^  .of  the  *<  College  des  Quatre  Nations,'*  he  was  appointed  to 
fill  the  philosophical  chair  in  that  seminary.  >  Mr.  Pour* 
chot  soon  becanoie  dissatisfied  with  the  Aristotelian  phih)** 
sophy,  and  embraced  the  principles  of  Des  Carles,  apply  big 
ififithematical  principles  and  reasoniugps  to  the  discovery  of 

^  &of,  Diet.  Hist^  de  Medeciae.— -NioeroD,  rol.  XI. 


i40  P  O  U  R  C  H  O  T. 

physical  an<l  moral  truths.  He  now  drew  tip  a  systenf  at 
pbilosopbyy  which  be  published  under  the  title  of  ^<  Insti-* 
tutiones  Philosophies/'  which  was-  very  generally  ap« 
plauded,  and  met  with  an  astonishing  sale.  His  i«puta-> 
tion  as  a  philosopher,  at  this  time,  stood  so  high,  that  hts 
Jectures  were  always  attended  by  a  numeroui^  concourse  o^ 
students.  His  acquaintance  was  eagerly  courted  by  the 
most  celebrated  literary  characters  of  his  time :  Racine, 
Desp'reaux,  Mabilloo,  Dupin,  Baillet,  Montfttucon,  and 
Ssnteul,.  were  his  intimate  associates.  He  was. honoured 
with  the  esteem  of  M.  Bossuet  and  M.  de  Fenelon.  Tha 
latter  would  have  procured  for  him  the  appointment  of 
tutor  to  the  younger  branches  of  the  royal  family,  but  he 
preferred  to  employ  his  talents  in  the  serrice  of  the  univer-> 
aity ;  and  was  seven  times  chosen  to  fill  the  post  of  rector 
of  that  body,  and  was  syndic  for  the  long  space  of  fortjr 
years.  At  a  very  advanced  age  he  began  to  apply  him* 
self  to  the  study  of  the  Hebrew  language,  with  a  degree 
of  ardour  which  soon  enabled  him  to  deliver,  a  course  of 
lectures  upon  it  at  the  college  of  St.  Barbe.  f  n  the  midst 
of  bis  numerous  engagements,, be  found  leisure  to  improve 
his  ^^  Philosophical  Institutions,'^  of  which  he  was  prepar:^ 
ing  the  fourth  edition  for  the  press,  when  he  kjst  bis  eye- 
sight. He  died  at  Paris  in  1734,  in  the  83d  year  of  hi^ 
age.  Besides  his  *^  Institutions,"  he  was  author  of  nu«- 
merous  '^Discourses,"  which  were  given  to  the  public  in 
<he  '*  Acts  of  the  University,"  and  various  •*  Memoirs.** 
He  assisted  the  learned  Masclef  in  :  greatly  improving  the 
second  edition  of  his  ^'Grammatica  Hebraica,"  and  be 
aided  him  in  drawing  up  the  Chaldee,  Syriac,  and  Sama- 
ritan grammars,  which  are  combined  in  that  edition.^ 

POUSSIN  (Nicholas),  an  eminent  French  painter,  was 
born  at  Andely,  a  little  town  in  Normandy,  in  1594.  His 
family,  however,  were  originally  of  Soissons;  in  wfaicfa 
city  there  were  some  of  his  relations  officers  in  the  Fresi- 
dial  court.  John  Poussin,  his  father,  was  of  noble  extrac- 
tion, but  born  to  a  very  small  estate.  His  son,  seeing  the 
narrowness  of  his  circumstances,  determined  to  support' 
himself  as  soon  as  possible,  and  chose  painting  for  his 
profession,  having  naturally  a  strong  inclination  to  that  art. 
At  eighteen,  he  went  to  Paris,  to  learn  the  rudiments  of 
it.    A  Poictevin  lord,  who  had  taken  a  liking  to  him,  placed 

1  Mortri.-^Dict.  Bht. 


P  O  U  S  S  I  N,  «41L 

hi0  mib  Ferdioaiidy  a  portrdit-painter)  whom  Ponssin  left 
ia  three  iQontbs  to  place  bimaelf  with  •  Lalleniant,  wkh 
wboca  he  i»taid  hut  a  month :  he  saw  he  should  never  leara 
any  thing  from  such  masters,  and  he  resolved  not  to  lose 
Us  time  with  them ;  belieying  he  should  profit  more  by 
atudyiog  the  vrotk^  of  g^at  ma^terS)  than  by  the  discipline 
of  ordinary  painters.  He  worked  a  while  in  distemper^ 
and  performed  it  with  extraordinary  facility.  The  Italiaa 
pcaet  Marino  being  at  that  time  iu  Paris,  and  perceiving 
PoHSsin's  genius  to  be  superior  to  the  small  performances 
po  which  he  w^s  employed,  persuaded  him  to  go  with  him 
in%o  Italy  :  Poussin  had  before  made  two  vain  attempts  to 
undertake  that  journey,  yet  by  some  means  or  other  w^ 
hiadered.  from  accepting  this  opportunity.  He  promised^ 
bowever,  to  follow  in  a  short  time;  which  he. did,  though 
not ;. till  h^  had. painted  several  other  pictures  in  Paris^ 
l^moog  which  was  the  Death  of  the  Virgin,  for  the  chui^ca 
of  JMdtre-Dame.  Having  finished  hia  business,  he  set  out 
for  Rome  in  his  thirtieth  year. 

He  there  met  with  his  friend,  the  cavalier  Marino,  who 
rejoiced  to  see  him ;  and  that  he  migbt  be  as  serviceable 
as.  be  could,  recommended  him  to  cai'dinal.  Barberiei,  wh9 
desired  to  be  acquainted  with  him.  Yet  by  some  meant 
or  other,  he  diil  not  emerge,  and  could  scarcely  maintain 
himself.  He  was  forced  to  give  i^way  his  works  for  sums 
that  would  hardly  pay  for  his  colours.  His  courage,  how«f 
«ver,  did  not  fail ;  he  prosecuted  his  studies  assiduously^ 
resolvinig,  at  all  events,  to  make  himself  master  of  his  pro- 
fession. He  had  little  money  to  spend,  apd  therefore  the 
fOQte  leisure  to  retire  by  himself,  and  design  the  beautiful 
objects  in  Rome,  as  well  antiquities  as  the  works  of  the 
&moQ8  Roman  painters. '  It  is  said,  that  he  at  first  copied 
ftome  of  Titian's  pieces,  with  whose  colouring,  and  the 
^ucbes  of  whose  landscapes,  he  was  infinitely  pleased* 
It  it  observable,  indeed,  that  his  first  pieces  are  painted 
in  a  better  style  of  colouring  than  his.  last.  But  he  soon 
ahewed,  Jby  his  performances,  that,  generally  speakings 
he  did  not  much  value  the  part  of  colouring;  or  thought  he 
knew  enough  of  it,  to  make  his  pictures  as  perfect  as  he 
intended.  He  had  studied  the  beauties  of  the  antique^  the 
elegance^  the  grand  gusto,  the  correctness,  the  variety  of 
proportions,  the  adjustments,  the  order  of  the  draperies^ 
the  nobleness,  the  fine  air  and  boldness  of  the  heads ;  the 
snanners,  customs  of  times  and  places,  and  every  thing  thsut 

VoJL.  XXV.  R 


f4ft  P  O  U  S  S  I  N. 

18  beautiful  in  the  remains  of  ancient  sculpture,  to  stich  a 
degree,  that  one  can*  never  enough  admire  the  efxactness 
^vith  which  he  has  enriched  his  painting  in  alt  those  par*> 
ticulars. 

He  tised  frequently  to  examine  the  ancient  sculptures  iit 
the  vineyards  about  Rom^,  and  this  confirmed  him  more 
and  more  in' the  love  of  those  antiquities.  He  would  spend 
several'days  together  ^in  making  reBections  upon  them  by 
himself.  It  was  in  these  retirements  that  he  considered  the 
extraordinary  effects  of  nature  with  respect  to  )andsca|>e9, 
that  hedesigiiled  his  animals,  his  distances,  his  trees,  and 
every  thing  excellent  that  was  agreeable  to  his  taste.  He 
also  made  curious  observations  on  the  works  of  Raphael 
and  Domenichino ;  who  of  all  painters,  in  his  opinidn,  in- 
vented best,  designed  most  correctly,  and  expire'ssed  th^ 
passions  most  vigorously  :  three  things,  which  Povnsin  4es- 
teemed  the  most  essential  parts  of  painting.  He  neglected 
nothing  that  coold  render  his  knowledge  in  these  three 
parts  perfect :  he  was  altogether  as  curious  about -the  ge- 
neral expression  of  his  subjects,  which  he  has  adorned  withi 
firety  thing  that  he  thought  wotild  excite  the  attention  of 
the  learned.  He  left  no  very  large  compositions  behind 
bim ;  and  all  the  reason  we  can  give  for  it  is,  that  he  had 
no  opportunity  to  paint  them ;  for  we  cannot  imagine  that 
it  was  any  thing  more  than  chance,  that  made  him  apply 
himself  wholly  to  easel  pieces,  of  a  size  proper  for  a  biJl>it 
net;  such  as  the  curious  required  of  him«  ,       ' 

■  Louis  XIII.  and  de  Noyers;  minister  of  stateand  super- 
intendant  of  the  buildings,  wrote  to  him. at  Rome  to  oblige 
him  to  return  to  France ;  to  which  he  consented. with  great 
reluctance.  He  had  a  pension  assigned  him,  and  a  lodging 
ready  farntsfaed  at  the  Thuilleries.  He  drew  the  picture  of 
^*  The  Lord's  Supper,'*  for  the  chapel  of  the  castle  of<  St. 
Germain,  and  that  which  is  in  the  Jesuit's  noviciate  at  ^ 
Paris.  He  began  <^  The  Labours  of  Hercules,"  in  the  gal- 
lery of  the  Louvre ;  but  V6uet's  school  railing  at  him  -and 
bis  works,  put  him  out  of.  humour  With  bis  own  country* 
fie  was  alse  weary  of  the  tumultuous  way  of  living  at  Paris, 
which  never  agreed  with  him.  For  j  these -reasons  be  se- 
cretly resolved  to  return  to  Rome,  pretending .  he  went 
to  setde  his  domestic  affairs  and  fetch  his  wife ;  but  when 
be  was  there,  whether  he  found  himself  in  his  proper  situa« 
(ion,^  or  was  quite  pot  off  from  any  thought  of  returning  to 
FFamce  hy  the  deaths  of  Richelieu  and  the  king,  which 


F  O  U  S  S  I  N.         ^  243 

tiappened  about  that  time, :  he :  never  afterwards  leCt  Italy. 
Jie  continued  working  on. his  easel-pieces,  and  sent  th^m 
from  Home  t.o  Paris ;  the  French  buying  theai  vpry.eage/ly, 
whenever  they  could  be  obtained,  and  valuing  his  produc« 
tiaQS; as  qauch. as  Raphael's. 

r   Poussin,  having  lived  happily  to  his  seventy- Rrst  yiear, 
died  paralytic  in  I665«     He  married  the  sister  of  Caspar 
Dughet,  •  by   whom    he    bad   no    children.      His    estate, 
^mounted  to  no  more  than  sixty  thousand  livrei ;  ^ut  be. 
K^ued  his  ease  above  .riches,  and  preferred  his  abode, at 
R<4ll^  wb^re  bejived  without  ambition,  to  fortune  else-' 
where.     He  never  made  words  about  the  price  of  hi^  pic-; 
turea ;  but  put  it  down  at  the  back  of  the  canvas,,  and  it  ifas 
always  given  him..  .  He  bad  no  disciple;     The  fpHaw^n^ 
aa^cdote;  much  illustrates  his  character. '  Bishop  ManciQi^ 
who  was,  afterwards  a  cardinal,  staying  onc^  o^i  a  visit  ta 
him  tilt  it  was  dark,  Pqusain '  took  the  candle  in  his  band,^ 
lighted  him  down  stairs,  and  patted  upon  him  t^  his  coach^ 
Tbe  prelate  was  sorry  to  see  him  do  it  himself,  and  could 
not  help  saying,  **  I  very  much  pity  you,  •  Monsieur  Pons- 
sin,  that  yon  have  not  one  servant.*' .   <^  And  I  pity  you^ 
more,  my  lord,"  replied  Poussin,  **  that  you  have  so  many/'  * 
.   POUSSIN  (Gaspar),  whose  proper  name  wasDUGHET, 
was  born,'  according  to  some  authors,  in  France,  in  16PQ| 
according  to  others,  at  Borne,  in  1,6 1 3 ;  nearly  the  same 
flifference  has  been  found  in  the  dates  of  his  death,  whici^ 
some  place  in  1663,  and  others  in  1675.     Which  may  bQ 
right,  it  is  not  easy  to  ascertain  ;  but  the  two  latter  dates 
are  adopted  by  the  authors  ofabe  Dictionnaire  Historique* 
His  sister  being  married  to  Nicholas^Poussin,  and  settled 
fit  Rome,  he  travelled  to  that  place,  partly  to  visit  her,  and 
partly  from  a  strong  love  of  painting.     Sandr art  says,  that 
Caspar  was  employed  at  first  only  to  ptepare  the  palette, 
pencils,  and  colours,  for  Nicholas ;  but,  by  the  instrvictions 
and  example  of  that  great  master,  was  so  led  pn,  .that  he 
ako  obtained  a  high  reputation.     While  he.  remained,  at 
Rome,  be  dropped  his  own  name  of  Dughet,  and  assumed 
Itbat  of  Poussin,  from  his  brother-ra-lavir,  und  benefactor* 
He  is  acknowledged  to  have  been  one  of  the  best  painters 
of  .^atadscapes  that  the  world,  has  seen.     No  painter  ever 
studied  nature  to  better  effect,  particularly  in -expressing 
4he  effects  of  land^storms.     His  scenes  are  always  beautji* 

.,       I  Ar^enirille,  rot.  IV.— Pitkmstoo.-:-Rejnoldt*i  Works. 


244  P  O    U    S  S  I  NL 

fully  chosen,  and  bid  buildings  nimpte  and  elegant.  H« 
was  not  equally  skilled  in  painting  figures,  and  frequently^ 
prevailed  on  Nicbolas  to  draw  them  for  bim.  The  con* 
noisseurs  distinguish  three  different  manners  in  his  paint-^ 
ings ;  the  first  is  dry  ;  the  second  is  more  simple,  yet  de-< 
lightful,  and  natural,  approaching  more  than  any  other,  to  the 
style  of  Claude.  His  third  manner  is  more  vague  and  unde- 
fined thiin  these,  but  pleasing;  though  less  so  by  far  than  the 
Second.  His  style  is  considered  on  the  whole  by  Mr; 
Mason,  in  his  table  subjoined  to  Du  Fresnoy,  as  a  mixture 
between  those  of  Nicolo  and  Claude  Lorraine.  Mr.  Mason 
adopts  the  date  of  1675  for  his  death.' 

POUSSINES  (Peter),  in  Latin  Possmils,  a  learned  Je- 
suit, of  Narbonne,  in  the  1 7th  century,  resided  a  consider- 
able  time  at  Rome,  where  he  was  much  esteemed  by  Chrfs-* 
dAa,    queen  of  Sweden,  cardinal  Barberini,  ami  several 
•ther  illustrious  persons.     He' understood  Greek  well,  had 
very  carefully  studied  the  fathers,  and  has  left  translations 
of  a  great   number    of   Greek   authors,    with   notes  ^    a. 
•*  Catena  of  the  Greek  Fathers  on  Sr.  Mark,*'  Rome,  1673, 
fol. ;  and  other  works.     He  died  1686,  aged  77.' 
\  POWELL  (David),  a  learned  Welsh  divine,  was  born  irt 
PenbighshJre,  about  1552.     In  1568,  he  wassent  to  Ox- 
foird^  but  to  what  college  is  uncerrain.  When  Jesus-college 
Iras  founded,  in  1571,  he  removed  thither;  and  took  hi* 
degrees  in  arts  the  year  following.  In  1576,  he  took  orders, 
ind  became  vicar  of  Ruabon,  or  Rhiw-Abon,  in  Denbigh^ 
shire,  and  rector  of  Llanfyllin,  which  last  he  resigned  in 
1579.     About  the  end  of  the  same  year  he  was  instituted 
to  the  vicarage  of  Mivod  in  Montgomeryshire,  and  in  158S 
he  had  the  sinecure  rectory  of  Llansanfraid,  in  Mechaifii 
He  held  also  some  dignity  in  the  church  of  St.  Asapbi    H^ 
proceeded  to  his  degrees  in  divinity  in  1532^  and  the  sub^ 
i;equent  year,  and  was  afterwards  chaplain  to  sir  Henr^ 
Sidne}',  then  president  of  Wales.     He  died  in  1598,  and 
^s  buried  in  his  own  church  of  Ruabon.     The  works*  pub* 
lished   by  him   were,    1.  <' Caradoc's    History  of   Cam* 
bria,  with  annotations,*'  1584,  4to.     This  history  had  been 
^translated  from  the  Latin,  by  Humphrey  Lloyd,  but  wa^ 
left  by  him  unfinished  at  his  death.      Powel  corrected  and 
augmented' the  manuscript,  and  published  it  with  notes; 
2^.  *<  Annotationes  in  itinerarium  Cambriic,.  scriptum  per 

^  Arg UYitlc,  ToL  l«^Pakiqgtoii.  •  Mareri.— Diet  Hist. 


/ 


P  O  W  E  L  I^  245 

Stiviam  QeraMum  Catnbrensem,"  London^  1585,  3.  "  Au- 
'  notationes  in  Cambrise  descriptionem,  per  Ger.  Cambr/' 
4.  f^  I)e  Britannica  bistoria  reqte  intelligenda^  epistola  ad 
GuL  Fleetwooduai  civ.  Loncl.  recordaiorera."  This  an4 
the  former  are  printed  with  the  aDnotations  on  the  itine^ 
rary..  5.  <'  Pontici  Virunnii  Histpria  Britannica/'  London^ 
lo85,  8vo.  Wood  says,  that  he  took  great  pains  in  coin^ 
piling  a  Welsh  Dictionary,  but  died  before  it  was  coni7 
pleted. 

He  left  a  very  learned  son,  GAfiRiEL  Powell,  who  wa9 
born  -^t  Buabon,  in  1575,  and  educated  at  Jesus  college 
Oxford,  after  which  he  became  master  of  the  free*scboo^ 
at  Rutben,  in  his  native  county.  Not  however  finding  his 
^tuation  here  convenient  for  the  studies  to  which  he  wa^ 
addicted,  ecclesiastical  history,  and  the  writings  of  the  far 
tbers,  he  returned  to  Oxford,  and  took  up  his  abode  in  St* 
Mary  Hall.  Here  principally  he  wrote  those  works  wbicii 
procured  him  great  reputation,  especially  among  the 
puritans.  Dr.  Vajghau,  bishop  of  London,  invited  him  to 
the  metropolis,  and  made  him  his  domestic  chaplain,  and 
would  have  given  him  higher  preferment  had  he  lived.  If 
was  probably  Vaughan's  successor  who  gave  him  the  pre- 
bend of  Portpoole,  in  1609,  and  the  vicarage  of  Northall, 
in  Middlesex,  in  1610.  He  died  in  1611.  His  works  enu* 
merated  by  Wood  are  chiefly  controversial,  against  the 
papists,  except  one  or  two  in  defence  of  the  silenced 
puritans.  Several  of  them,  being  adapted  to  the  circum-; 
stances  of  the  times,  went  through  numerous  editions,  bu^ 
are  now  little  known.  Wood  says  be  was  esteemed  a  pro*? 
digy  of  learning,  though  he  died  when  a  little  more  thaq 
thirty  years  old  (thirty-six),  and  had  he  lived  to  a  greater 
maturity  of  years,  it  is  "  thought  he  would  have  exceeded 
the  famous  Dr.  John  Rainolds,  or  any  of  the  learned  heroes 
of  the  age.''  Wood  adds  that  he  ^^  was  a  zealot,  and  a  stiff 
ptrritan."  By  one  of  his  works,  entitled  "  The  unlawfuU 
ness  and  danger  of  Toleration  pf  divers  religions,  and  con-^ 
nivance  to  contrary  worship  in  one  monarchy  or  kingdom,'* 
it  would  appear  that  he  wrote  against  toleration  while  h^ 
vras  claiming  it  for  himself  and  his  puritan  brethren.  ^ 

POWELL  (Edward),  a  learned  popish  divine,  was  bora 
about  the  latter  part  of  the  sixteenth  century,  and  was  edu- 
cated at  Oxford.     He  appears  to  have  been  fellow  of  Orie| 

I  Atlu  Ox^  vol.  I.  new  edit.<-*-BJpg.^Brit.— Oldyi's  Librariaik 


S«  POWELL.. 

college  in  1495^  and  afterwards  became  D.  D.  and  was 
accounted  one  of  the  ornaments  of  the  university.  In  No- 
vember 1501,  he  was  made  rector  of  Bledon,  in  the  diocese 
of  Wells,  and  in  July  1503  was  collated  to  the  prebend 
Centum  solidorum,  in  the  church  of  Lincolui  as  well  as  to 
the  prebend  of  Carleton,  In  1508,  by  the  interest  of  Ed- 
mund Audley,  bishop  of  Salisbury,  he  was  made  preben- 
dary of  that, church,  and  in  1525  became  prebendary  of 
Sutton  in  Marisco,  in  the  church  of  Lincoln.  In  Novem^ 
ber  1514,  Pope  Leo  gave  him  a  licence  to  hold  three  bene7 
fices,  otherwise  incompatible.  His  reputation  for  learning 
induced  Henry  VIII.  to  employ  him  to  write  against  Lu- 
ther, which  he  did  in  a  work  entitled  "  Propugnaculum 
summi  sacerdotii  evangelici,  ac  septenarii  sacramentorum 
numeri  adversus  M.  Lutherum,  fratrem  famosum,  et  Wick- 
liffistam  insignera,'*  Lond.  1523,  4to.  This  performance, 
says  iDodd,  was  commonly  allowed  to  be  the  best  that  had 
hitherto  been  published.  There  are  two  public  letters  from 
the  university  of  Oxford,  one  to  the  king,  the  other  to  bishop 
Audley,  applauding  the  choice  of  a  person  so  well  quali- 
fied to  maintain  the  cause  of  the  church ;  and  in  these  let- 
ters, they  style  him  the  glory  of  their  university,  and  re- 
commend him  as  a  person  worthy  of  the  highest  preferment: 
But  all  this  could  not  protect  him  from  the  vengeance  of 
Henry  VIII.  when  he  came  to  employ  his  learning  and  zeal 
in  defence  of  queen  Catherine,  and  the  supremacy  of  the  see 
of  Rome,  on  both  which  articles  he  was  prosecuted,  hanged, 
drawn,  and  quartered"  in  Smithfield,  July  30,  1540,  along 
with  Dr.  Thomas  Abel,  and  Dr.  Richard  Fetherstone,  who 
suffered  on  the  same  account.  He  wrote  in  defence  of 
queen  Catherine,  "  Tractatus  de  non  dissolvendo  Henrici 
regis  cum  Catberina  matrimonio  ;**  but  it  is  doubtful  if  this 
was  printed.  Stow,  indeed,  says  it  was  printed  in  4to,  and 
that  he  had  seen  it,  but  no  copy  is  now  known.  Mrj 
Cburton,  in  his  "  Lives  of  the  Founders  of  Brazenose  col- 
lege," mentions  Dr.  Powell's  preaching  a  Latin  sermon,  in 
a  very  elegant  style,  at  the  visitation  of  bishop  Smyth  at 
Lincoln.' 

POWELL  (GitiFFiTH),  principal  of  Jesus  college,  Ox- 
ford, was  bom  at  Lansawell  in  Carmarthenshire,  in  1561, 
and  entered  a  commoner  of  Jesus  college  in  1581,  and  after 
taking  his  degrees,  and  obtaining  a  fellowship,  was  chosen 

'  Ath^  Ox*  vol.  I.  new  edtt.-^Dodd's  Ch.  Hist>-.WiUis*8  Civthedrals. 


P  O  WE  L  L. 


247 


9 
if 


principal  in  1.613  ;  being  then,  says  Wood,  **  accounted  bj 
aII  a  most  pot^d  philosopher,  or  subtle  disputant,  and  one 
that  acted  and  drudged  much  as  a  tutor,  moderator  and 
adviser  in  studies  among  the  juniors/'  He  died  June  28, 
1620,  and  was  buried  in  St.  Michaers  church.  By  will  he 
\]eft  all  his  estate,  a^iounting  to  betweep  six  and  seven 
handi;ed  poqnds,  to  the  college,  with  which  a  fellowship  was 
founded*  He  wrote  **  Analysis  Analy  ticorurn  posteriorum 
seu  librgruoi  Aristotelis  de  Demonstratione,  cum  scholiis/ 
Oxon.  1594, 8vo,  and  ^^'Analysis  libri  Aristotelis  de  Sophisticis 
Eienchis,".  ibid.  1594,  reprinted  1598  and  1664.  Concern- 
ing these  two  works,  a  wit  of  the  day  made  the  following 
liuips : 

*'  Griffith  PowdU  fbr  the  honour  of  bis  natign. 
Wrote  a  hook  of  D^moi^tratioo^. 
And  having  little  else  to  do. 

He  wrote  a  book  of  Elenchs  too.*' 

There  is  more  wit  than  truth  in  this,  however,  for  his 
office  as  principal  engrossed  so  much  of  his  time,  as  to  pre*- 
Tent  him  from  preparing  for. the  press  other  treatises. which 
be  bad  written.^  .      . 

POWELL  (Sir  John),  an  eminent  lawyer,  and  an  up- 
right judge,  wa^  a  native  of  Gloucester,  which  city  he  re- 
presented in  parliament  in   1685.     He  was  called  to  the 
coif  April  24,   1686,  appointed  a  justice  of  the  common 
pleas  April  21,  1687,  at  which  time  he  received  the  ho- 
nour of  knighthood,    and  was  removed   to  the  court  of 
king's  bench  April  26  in  the  following  year.      He  sat  in 
that  court  at  the  memorable  trial  of  the  severt  bishops,  and 
having    declared    against    the    king's    dispensing   power, 
James,  n.  deprived   him  of  his  office  in  July  1688;  but 
William  III.  placed  him  again  in  the  common  pleas,  Oct 
2$,  l'695,  and  queen  Anne  advanced  him  to  the  queen's 
bench  June    IS,   1702,  where  he  sat   until  his  death,  at 
Gloucester,  on  his  return  from  Bath,  June  14,  1713,  far 
adv?inced  in  life.     He  was  reckoned  a  sound  lawyer,  and 
in  private  was  tq  the  last  a  man  of  a  cbeerfuli  facetious  dis- 
position.    Swift^  in  one  of  his  letters,  mentions  his  meeting 
with  him  at  Lord  Oxford's,  and  calls  hitn  ''an  old  fellow 
with  grey  hairs,  who  was  the  merriest  old  gentleman  I  ever 
saw,    spoke  pleasing  things,  and   chuckled   till  he  crie4 

>  Ath.  Ox.  ToU  L 


248  P  O  WE  L  L. 

again/'  tn  fais  time  the  laws  against  witchcraft  being  un-* 
repealed,  one  Jane  Wenman  was  tried  before  him,  and  her 
adversaries  swore  that  she  could  fly :  ^^  Prisoner,"  said  our 
judge,  "  can  yob  fly  ?"  ^  Yes,  my  lord."  **  Well  thea 
you  may ;  there  is  no  law  against  flying."  * 

POWELL  (WiLLUM  Samuel),  an  English  divine  of 
good  abilities,  was  born  at  Colchester j  Sept.  27,  1717  ;  ad- 
mitted of  St.  John^s  college,  Cambridge,  in  1734  ;  and,  hav« 
ing  taken  the  degree  of  bachelor  of  arts  in  1739,  elected 
fellow  of  it  in  March  1740.  In  1741,  be  was  taken  into 
the  family  of  lord  Townshend,  as  private  tutor  to  his  second 
son  Charles  Townshend,  afterwards  chancellor  of  the  ex« 
chequer ;  and  was  ordained  deacon .  and  priest  at  the  end 
of  th§  year,  wbeii  he  was  instituted  to  the  rectoiy  of  Col« 
kirk  in  Norfolk,  on  lord  Townshend's  presentation.  He 
returned  to  college  the  year  after,  and  began  to  read  lec- 
tures as  an  assistant  to  the  tutors,  Mr.  Wrigley  and  Mr. 
Tunstall ;  but  becaniie  himself  principal  tutor  in  1744.  He 
took  the  degree  of  bachelor  of  divinity  in  1749,  and  in  175S 
was  instituted  to  the  rectory  of  Stibbard,  in  the  gift  of  lord 
Townshend.  In  1757  he  was  created  D.  D.  In  1761  be 
left  CQllege,  and  took  a  house  in  London  ;  but  did  not  re« 
sign  his  fellowship  till  1763.  In  Jan.  1765,  he  was  elected 
master  of  his  college,  and  was  chosen  vice-chancellor  of 
the.  university  in  November  following.  The  yeat-  tifter,  he 
obtained  the  archdeaconry  of  Colchester;  and,  in  1768, 
was  instituted  to  the  rectory  of  Freshwater  in  the  Isle 
of  Wight.  He  died,  Jan.  19,  1775,  and  was  interred  in  the 
chapel  of  St.  John's  college. 

The  preceding  sketch  is  taken  from  an  advertisemeni 
prefixed  to  a  volume  of  his  *^  Discourses  on  various  sub-^ 
jects,"  published  by  his  friend  Dr.  Thomas  Balguy  ;  "  which 
Discourses,"  says  the  editor,  "are  not  published  for  the 
credit  of  the  writer,  but  for  the  beneflt  of  his  readers;  es<f 
pecially  that  class  of  readers,  for  whom  they  were  chiefly 
intended,  the  youpger  students  in  divinity.  The  author's 
reputation,^'  he  adds,  ^^  stands  on  a  much  wider  bottom :  a 
whole  life  uniformly  devoted  to  the  interests  of  sou^d  phi« 
losophy  and  true  religion." 

The  office  of  master  of  the  college,  says  Mr.  Cole,  be 
maintained  with  the  greatest  reputation  and  honour  to  him-s 

1  Noble*!  ContinnaiioQ  of  Granger.— lifurnet's  Owb  Times,*NichoU*a  Edition 
uf  Swift  2  see  ladcx. 


POWELL.  5249 

self;  and  credit  and  advantage  to  the  society.  Some  yearft 
before  be  attained  this  office^  a  relation  with  whom  he  had 
very  little  acquaintance,  and  l«$s  expectation  from,  Charles 
Reynolds,  of  Peldon  Hall,  esq.  left  him  the  estate  and  ma<*> 
nor  of  Peldon  Hall  in  Essex,  together  with  other  estates  at 
Little  Bentley  in  the  same  county  ;  and,  adds  Mr.  Cole,  to 
-do  him  justice  he  well  deserved  it,  for  be  wa^  both  hospi- 
table and  generous,  and  b^ing  a  single  man  had  ample 
mean^  to  exercise  his  generosity.  In  Feb.  1773,  when  St« 
John's  college  had  agreed  to  undertake  two  very  expensive 
works,  the  new  casing  the  first  court  with  stone,  and  laying 
out  their  gardens  under  the  direction  of  the  celebrated  Mr. 
Brown,  who  told  them  that  his  plan  would  cost  them  at 
least  800/.  the  master  recommended  an  application  to  those 
opulent  persons  who  had  formerly  been  members  of  the 
college,  and  told  the  fellows  that  if  they  thought  proper 
to  make  such  application,  and  open  a  subscription,  he  would 
begin  it  with  a  donation  of  500/.  which  he  immediately 
subscribed.  On  all  such  occasions,  where  the  honour  and 
reputation  of  his  college,  or  the  university,  was  concerned, 
no  one  displayed  his  liberality  more  in  the  sumptuousness 
and  elegance  of  his  entertainments,  but  in  other  cases  h6 
was  frus^al  and  ceconomical. 

The  late  celebrated  poet,  Mr.  Mason,  in  his  life  of  White- 
head, takes  occasion  to  pay  ^  high  compliment  to  Dr. 
Powell  on  that  part  of  his  literary  character  concerning 
which  he  may  be  thought  the  least  liable  to  be  mistaken, 
and  pronounces  Dr.  Powell's  taste  in  works  of  imagination 
to  have  been  as  correct  as  his  judgment  was  in  matters  of 
more  abstruse  speculation.  **  Yet  this  taste,"  adds  Mr. 
Mason,  ^<  always  appeared  to  be  native  and  his  own  :  he  did 
not  seem  to  have  brought  it  with  him  from  a  great  school^ 
nor  to  have  been  taught  it  by  a  celebrated  master.  He 
never  dealt  in  the  indiscriminate  exclamations  of  excellent 
and  sublime:  but  if  he  felt  a  beauty  in  an  author,  was  ready 
with  a  reason  why  he  felt  it  to  be  such :  a  circumstance 
which  those  persons,  who,  with  myself,  attended  his  lec^ 
tures  on  the  Poetics  of  Aristotle,  will  both  acknowledge  and 
reflect  upon  with  pleasure." 

His  published  works  consist  of  the  volume  above  men- 
tioned, edited  by  Dr.  Balguy,  which  contains  three  dis- 
courses preached  before  the  university ;  thirteen  preached 
in  the  college  chapel ;  one  on  public  virtue  \  three  charges 


250r  P,0  W  ELL.: 

to  the  clergy  of  the  archdeaconry  of  Colchester;  and  hk 
^^  Disputatio^':  on  taking  his  doctor's  degree.  One  of  hv 
discourses,,  relatire  to  subswption,  was  first  preached  on. 
commencement.  Sunday  in  1757;  and  being  reprinted  in 
1772,  when  an  application  to  parliament  on  the  ma^tteir  of 
subscription  was  in  agitation,  was  attempted  to  be  answerf  c|, 
probably  by  the  author  of  the  **  Confessional,''  in  a  paoiphr 
let  entitled  **  Remarks  on  the  Rev.  Dr.  Powell's  Sermoq, 
&c."  but  of  this  we  do  not  know  that  he  took  any  notici^ 
contenting  himself  with  this  reprint  of  his  sermpn,  whic^ 
was  the  fourth  edition^  He  had  spoken  his  sentiments,  and 
had  no  turn  for  controversy.  He  acted  the  same  part  in 
his:  college;  during  the  controversy  in  1772  he  called 
all  his  scholars  before  him,  and  submitted  to  them  the  real 
state  of  the  case  relating  to  their  subscription,  and  left  j^ 
with  them.  In  1760,  Dr.  Powell  published  Observations  on 
^^  Miscellanea  Analytica,"  which  was  the  beginning  of  a 
controversy. that  produced  many •  pamphlets  relative  to  the 
Lucasian  professorship  of  mathematics  at  Cambridge,  when 
Mr.  Waring  was  elected. 

A  letter  of' Mr.  ^arkland's  having  been  published  in  the 
^*  Anecdotes  of  Bowyer,"  reflecting  on  Dr.  Powell  as  if  he 
had  died  rich  in  consequence,  of  accumulation,  a.nd  had 
been  saving  of  bis  money  to  the  last,  produced  a  satisfac- 
tory defence  of  him  from  a  member  of  St.  John's  college, 
part  of  which  it  is  but  justice  to  Dr.  Powell's  memory  to 
copy.  '■  ^'  It  is  true,"  says  this  writer,  *'  that  Dr.  Powell 
died  in  very.a£9uent  circumstances ;  but  the  greatest  part 
of  his  fortune  was  left  to  him  in  1759  by  Mr.  Reynolds,  a 
relation  of  his  mother,  and  thfe  remainder  was  the  well* 
earned  fruits  of  his  labours  in  educating  his  pupils  while 
tutor,  •  During  the  ten  years  he  was  roaster,  he  lived  in 
great  splendour  and  magnificence,  and  had  considerably 
diminished  his  private  fortune  before  his  death.  When  it 
was  determined  to  rebuild  the  first  court,  he  generously 
made  a  present  of  500/.  to  the  society :  to  several  under^ 
graduates  he  occasionally  gave  sums  of  money,  and  to 
others  he  allowed  annual  stipends  to  enable  them  to  comr 
plete  their  studies  :  at  his  own  expence  he  bestowed  prizes 
upon  those  wbp  distinguished  themselves  at  the  public  ex- 
aminations. By  his  will,  which  had  been  made  a  con$i- 
•  derable  time  before  his  death,  he  bequeathed  lOOO/,  to  bis 
friend  Dr.  Balguy ;  to  six  actual  fellows,  to  ten  who  bad 


P  O  W  N  A  L  L.  251 

Wen  fellows,  and  to  four  who  had  only  been  of  the  col- 
lege, 100/.  each  ;  and  to  four  fellows  his  books.'*  *  ^ 
POWNALL  (Thomas),  a  gentleman  of '  considerable 
learning  and  political  knowledge,  was  born  in  17212,  and 
educated  at  Lincoln.  His  first  appearance  in  public  life 
was  when  appointed  secretary  to  the  commissioners  for 
irade  and  plantations  in  1745,  subjects  with  which  he  must 
have  made  himself  early'  acquainted,  as  he  had  not  yet 
TeAched  his  twenty- fourth  year.  In  1753  he  went  to  Ame- 
rica, and  in  the  following  year  was  concerned  in  a  matter, 
which  eventually  proved  of  great  importance.  At  the  be- 
ginning of  what  has  been  called  the  seven  years'  war  with 
France,  which  commenced  in  Apnerica  in  1754,  two  years 
before  it  broke  out  in  Europe,  a  number  of  persons,  styled 
commissioners,  being  deputed  from  each  colony,  assembled 
at  Albany,  to  consider  of  defending  themselves  against  the 
French,  who  were  making  alarming  encroacliments  on 
their  back  settlements.  This  assembly  was  called'the  Albany 
Congress,  and  became  the  precedent  for  that  other  more 
remarkable  congress  established  at  the  revolution  in  1775. 
As  sbon  as  the  intention  of  the  colonies  to  hold  a  congress  at 
Albany  was  known  in  England,  Mr.  Pownall  immediately 
foresaw  the  danger  to  the  mother  country,  if  such  a  general 
tinion  should  be  permitted,  and  presented  a  strong  memorial 
to  lord  Halifax,  the  secretary  of  state,  on  the  subject,  in  1 754. 
The  plan  which  the  congress  had  in  view  was,'  to  form  a 
great  council  of  deputies  from  all  the  colonies,  with'a  go- 
vernor-general to  be  appointed  by  the  crown,*  and  em- 
poweted  to  take  measures  for  the  common  safety,  and  to 
raise  money  for  the  execution  of  theirdestgns.  The  oiinis- 
«ters  at  home  did  not  approve  of  this  plan';  'but,  seeing  that 
they  could  not  prevent  the  commissioners  meeting,  they 
resolved  to  take  advantage  of  this  distress  of  the  colonies^ 
and  turn  the  subject  of  deliberation  to  their  own  account. 
For.this  purpose  they  sent  over  a  proposal,  that  the  con- 
gress should  be  assisted  in  their  considerations  by  two  of 
the  king's  council  from  each  colony,  be  empowered  to  erect 
forts,  tp  levy  troops,  and  to  draw  on  the  treasury  in  Lon- 
don for  the  money  wanted ;  and  the  treasury  to  be  reim- 
bursed by  a  tax  on  the  colonies,  to  be  laid  by  the  British 

parliament ;  but  this  proposal  was  peremptorily  rejected, 

'  '         f  •  '       .  •  .'.»■' 

'    1  Life  by  Dr.  Balsruy. •—'Cole's  MS  Atheoar  in  Xfrituh  Museum. — NicUoIn't 
Bo«y£r. — Masoa's  Life  of  Wb'teheaJ,  p.  29.->GeaC.  Mag.  LV.'p.  329. 


252  P  O  W  N  ALL. 

because  it  gave  tbe  British  parliament  a  power  to  tax  th« 
colonies.  Although  Mr.  Pownall  did  not  agree  with  the 
ministry  in  the  whole  extent  of  their  proposal,  yet  tbey 
thought  him  so  well  acquainted  with  the  affairs  of  tbe  co» 
lonies,  that  in  1757  they  appointed  him  governor  of  Mas** 
sachttsett^s  bay. 

After  two  years'  residence,  some  political  differences 
with  some  of  the  leading  men  of  the  province,  induced 
him  to  solicit  to  be  recalled;  and  in  1759  he  succeeded 
Mr.  Bernard  as  governor  of  New  Jersey  ;  but  he  retained 
his  post  a  very  short  time,  being  almost  immediately  ap« 
pointed  governor,  captain-general,  and  vice-admiral,  of 
South  Carolina.  Here  he  continued  until  1761,  when  he 
was  recalled,  at  his  own  desire ;  and  on  .his  arrival  in  Lonr 
don,  he  was  appointed  director*general  of  the  office  of 
controul,  with  the  rank  of  colonel  in  the  army,  under  the 
command  of  prince  Ferdinand,  in  Germany.  At  the  end 
of  tbe.  war  he  returned  to'  England,  where  his  accounts 
were  examined,  and  passed  with  honour. 

At  the  general  election,  1768,  he  was  chosen  represen- 
tative in  parliament  for  Tregony  in  Cornwall,  and  in  1775 
for  Minehead  in  Somersetshire,  and  on  all  occasions  vigo- 
rously opposed  the  measures  which- led  to  the  war  with 
America ;  and,  from  the  knowledge  which  he  was  supposed 
to  have  acquired  in  that  country,  was  listened  to  with  atr 
tention.  Of  the  importance  of  his  speeches  he  had  hioi* 
self  a  considerable  opinion,  by  his  sending  them  in  manu- 
script, to  be  printed  in  Almon's  Parliamentary  Register. 
He  is  also  said  to  have  assisted  that  bookseller  in  his  '^  Ame- 
rican Remembrancer,'*  a  periodical  paper  which  contained 
all  the  calumny,  as  well  as  all  the  arguments,  which  the 
opponents  of  the  measures  of  administration  could  bring 
together.  At  the  general  election  in  1780  he  retired  froan 
parliament,  and  resided,  in  his  latter  years,  at  Batb,  where 
he  died  Feb.  25,  1805,  in  the  83d  year  of  his  age,  if  our 
date  of  his  birth  be  correct. 

Governor  Pownall  was  twice  married;  first,  in  1765,  to 
lady  Fawkener,  relict  of  Sir  Everard  Fawkener,  and  daugh-? 
ter  of  lieutenant-general  Churchill,  who  died  in  1777  :  and 
secondly,  in  1784,  to  Mrs.  Astell,  of  Everton-house,  in 
Bedfordshire ;  but  bad  no  issue  by  either. 

He  had  a  vigorous  and  comprehensive  mind  ;  which  by  4 
liberal  education,  and  constant  cultivation  during  a  long 
series  of  years,  was  furnished  with  an  uncommon  fund  of 


P  O  W  N  A  L  L.  SSS 

tarious  knbwledge,  both.as.a  politician  and  antiquary^;  but 
not,  in  both  characters,  without  some  singular  opinions. 
His  works  were  very  numerous.  The*  first,  and  most  po« 
pular,  which  went  through  several  editions,  was  his  ^^  Ad-* 
ministration  of  the  Colonies/*  2,  Observations  on  a 
Bread  Bill,  which  be  introduced  in  parliament ;  and,  3; 
*^  Of  the  Laws  and  Commissions  of  Sewers ;"  both  printed^ 
bat  not  published.  4.  An  ironical  pampbletj  entitled 
'^  Considerations  on  the  indignity  suffered  by  the  Crown, 
and  dishonour  brought  upon  the  Nation,  by  the  Marriag6 
of  bis  Royal  Highness  the  Duke  of  Cumberkind  withaa 
Enlgliiih  subject,'*  1772,  4to.  5.  A  pamphlet  on  ^^Tha 
btgti  price  of  Bread,"  &c.  1774,  8vo.  6.  "A  Topogra- 
phical Description  of  such  parts  of  North  America  a»  am 
totitaiiied  in  the  annexed  map  of  the  middle  British  Colo<» 
nms,  &G.  in  North  America,"  1776,  folio.  7.  ^<  A  Letter 
to  Adam  Smith,  LL.D.  F«  R.  S."  respecting  his  *^  Wealth 
of  Nations,"  1776,  4to.  8.  f*  Drainage  and  Navigatiort 
but  one  united  work,"  1776,  Svo;  9,  "  A  Treatise  on  the 
study  of  Antiquities,"  1782,  8vo.  10.  **  A  Memorial  ad-» 
dress^  to  the  Sovereigns  of  America,"  1782  *.  1 1.  "  Two 
Memorials,  vyith  ian  explanatory  Preface."  12*  "  Memo^ 
rial  addressed  to  the  Sovereigns  of  Europe  and  the  Atlan* 
tic,"  1783.  13.  "  Proposal  for  founding  University  Frofes* 
sorships  for  Architecture,  Painting,  and  Sculpture,"  1786i 
14.  "  Answer  to  a  Letter  on  the  Juts&  or  Viti»'*  15.  *<  No- 
tice! and  Descriptions  of  Antiquities  of  the  Provincia  Ro<^ 
mana  of  Gaul,  now  Provence,  Languedoc,  and  Dauphiay  : 
with  Dissertations  on  the  subjects  of  which  those  areexem** 
^ars ;  and  an  Appendix,  describing  the  Roman  Baths  and 
Thermae,  discovered  in  1784,  at  Badeiiweiler,"  1787,  4|o, 
16.  *^  An  Antiquarian  Romance,  endeavouring  to  mark  a 
line  by  which  the  most  ancient  people,  and  the  processions  • 
of  the  earliest  inhabitancy  of  Europe,  may  be  investigated,^* 
1795,  8vo.  17.  *^  Descriptions  and  Explanations  of  the 
Remains  of  some  Roman  Antiquities  dug  up  in  the  city  of 
Bath  in  1790,  with  an  Engraving  from  Drawings  made  on 
the  spot,''  1795,  4to.  18.  "  Considerations  on  the  Scar- 
city and  high  Prices  of  Bread  Corn,"  &c.  1796.  He  contri- 
buted also  many  papers  to  the  Arohsologia  of  the  Society 
of  Antiquaries,  of  which  he  was  chosen  a  fellow  in  1772. 
He  was  elected  F.R.S.  ih  1765.     He  is  also  said  to  faavifi 

«?  la  a  letter  to  Mr.  Nichols  he'  laysi  «  This  is  the  best  tbtog  I  erer  wrotej' 


/ 

I 


S54  .1^  O  W  N  A  L  L. 

been  the  author  of  "The  Right,  lotefest,  and  Doty,  of 
Governments,  as  concerned  in  the  aJStkir  of  the  East  Indies/'T 
1781,  8vo.  ^^Intellectual  Physics, ^n  Essay  concerning  the 
nature  of  Being,"  4to,  1803  ;  and  a  <<  Treatise  an  Old  Age" 
i'  His  brother,  John  PoWnall,  was  also  an,  antiquary, 
and  contributed  a  few  articles  to  the  Archieologia^ .  He  died 
July  17,  1795.  V  ,  - 

.  POYNET,  or  PONET  (Joini),8uciceMively  bishop  of 
Rochester  and  Winchester,  in  the  reign  of  Edward  YL 
was  born  in  the  county  of  Kent,  about  the  year  1516,  attd 
was  educated  in  King^s  college,  Cambridge,  where^bis 
adversaries  allow  be  w^s  .distinguished  forbis  learning.  He 
was  not  only ' skilled  in  Greek  -and'  Latin,  but  in  some  of 
^e  modern  lailguages,  particularly  balian  tod  Outoh.  In 
early  life  he  proved-  himself  an'  able  mathemltt;i<siit;n  and 
inechtoist.  .He  constructed  n  dock,  ivhieh  pointed  botb 
to  the  hours  of  the  day,  the  day  Of  the  month,  the  sign  of 
the.Z^diack,  the.  lunar  raliations^  and  .the  tides»\ which 
was  presented  to  Henry  YUI.  ,and  .considered  by  him  and 
others  as  a  very  .extraordinary  perforft^noe.  Heylui^.  wboi 
is^eldom  pajrtial  to  the  early  English  reformers,  teUs  us^ 
that  he  was  *'  wdWtudied  with  the  ancient  fathers-'* 
*  /  At  what  time  he  imbibed  the  prineiples  of  the  RefcK'ttia* 
tioO  is  uncertain  ;  but  it  ap'pears  that  be  was  laccomft^  .a 
champion  for  thilt  great  change  in  the  beginning  of-  the 
reigtt  of  Edward  VI.  when  te  was  made  bishop  ofRp* 
Chester,  although  only  in  bis  33d  year.  He  was  then 
D.  D.'  and  chapU^in  to  archbishop  Cranmer.  When  Gar- 
diner was  deprived,  he  was  the  following  year,  1551^ 
translated  to  Winchester,  and  was  one  of  the.  bishops  ap- 
.  pointed  to  make  a  new  code  of  ecclesiastical  law^.  •  He  bad 
fr^uently  preached  before  king  Edward ;  who,  on  accottnt  of 
his  zealous  efforts  for  the  reformation,  desired  that  he  ifiight 
have  the  above  dignities.  He  had  before  this,  however, 
some  lesser  preferment.  By  Newcourt  we.fipd,  that  Cran- 
mer gave  hinii  the  rectory  of  St.  Michael  Queenhithe,  Lon- 
don, Nov.  15,  1543,  which  beheld,  in  commendt^my  until 
May  15,  1551,  when  he  was  translated  to  Winchester.  He 
was  a  frequent  preacher,  and  wrote  several  treatises  in  de- 
fence of  the  Reformation ;  but  his  most  remarkable  per- 
formance was  what  is  commonly  called  '^  King  Edward's^ 
Catechism,^'  which  appeared  in  1553,  in  two  editions,  the 
one  Latin,  the  other   English,  with  the  royal  privilege. 

p  •  ...  , 

1  Nichols's  Bowyer,  tq\  Vlll. 


P  O  Y  N  E  Tv  iSS 

Tbat  it  was  not  hastily  adopted,  however,  appears  by  king 
Edward's  letter  prefixed  to  it,  in  which  he  says :  "  When 
there  was  presented  unto  us,  to  be  perused,  a  short  and 
playne  order  of  Catechisme,  written  by  a  certayne  godlye 
and  learned  man  :  we  cooitnitted  the  debatinge  and  diligent 
examination  thereof  to  certain; bysboppes  and  oMier  learned 
nien,  whose  judgment  we  have  in  greate  estimation."  This 
catechism  has  been  attributed  to  Nowell ;  but  the  late  ex- 
cellent biographer  of  that  eminent  divine  considers  it  as 
4Hiquestionably  Poynet^s,  although  Nowell  took  much  from 
it  into  his  own  catechism. 

i  When  queen  Mary  came  to  the  crown,  Poynet,  wkh 
many  others,'  retired  to  Strasburgh,  where  he  died  April'}  l> 
1556^  not  quite  forty  yestrs  of  age,  Dojtld  says  het  way 
obliged  to  leav«  England  for  treasonable. practices  ;  :as  -he 
had  not  only  encouraged  Wyat's  rebellion,  but  personally 
appeiared  in  the  field  against  the  queen  and  government. 
This  may  be  true ;  but  no  treason  was  necessary  to  render 
England  an  unsafe  place  for  a  man  so  zealous  for  the  re* 
formation,  a  professed  opponent  of  Gardiner,  and  who 
succeeded  that  tyrannical  prelate  in  the  see.of  Winchester. 
StYype  informs  us,  tbat  immediately  on  the  accession  of. 
Mary,  bishop  Poynet  was  qjected  and  imprisoned,  and  de« 
prived  of  episcopacy,  for  being  married.  He  doubts  wfae^ 
ther  be  ever  was  concerned  with  Wyat,  but  says  he  Was  a 
great  friend  to  the  learned  Ascham.  Milner  accuses  him 
of  signing  away  a  great  number  of  the  most  valuable  pos- 
sessions of  the  see  of  Winchester.  He  accuses  him  also 
of  being  of  an  intolerant  spirit,  and  that  he  persecuted  the 
learned  physician,  Andrew  Borde.  •  Borde,  however,  wag 
guilty  of  irregularities,  which  it  was  not  unbecoming  in  his 
diocesan  to  punish.  If  Poynet  was  intolerant,  what  shall 
we  say  of  the  favourites  of  the  popish  historians  ?  .  ^^ 

Besides  the  ^^  Catechism"  already  mentioned,,  bishop 
Poynet  was  the  author  of:  1.  "A  Tragedie  or  Dialoge  of 
the  unjust  usurped  primacie  of  the  bishop  of  Rome,'-  trans.- 
lated  from  Bernard  Ochinus,"  1 54d,  8vo.  2.  '^  A  notable 
Sermon  concerning  the  ryght  use  ^f  the  Lordes  Supper,'* 
&c.  preachecl  before  the  king  at  Westminster,"  1550,  8vo. 
When  abroad,  be  wrote,  which  was  published  the  year 
after  his  death,  a  treatise  on  the  same  subject,  entitled 
**  Dialecticon  viri  boni  et  literati  de  veritate,  natura,  atque 
substantia  corporis  et  sanguinis  Christi  in  Eucharistia  ;"  in 
wlucb^  Bayle  says,  be  endeavoured,  to  reconcile  the  Lu? 


256  P  O  Y  N  E  T. 

therans  and  Zuinglians.  3^  "A  short  Treatise  of  Poli- 
tique Power,  and  of  the  true  obedience  which  subjectes  owe 
to  kynges  and  other  civile  governours,  with  an  exhorta* 
^ion  to  all  true  naturail  EngUshe  men,  cooipyled  by 
D.  I.  P.  B.  R.  V.V.  ue.  Dr.  John  Poynet,  bishop  of  Ro- 
chester and  Winchester/'  1356,  8vo.  The  contents  of 
this  may  be  seen  in  Oldys's  Catalogue  of  Pamphlets  in 
the  Harleian  Library,  No.  409.  It  was  reprinted  in  1639 
and  1642  ;  which  gave  a  suspicion,  that  it  contained  senti<* 
ments  respecting  queen  Mary,  which  at  this  time  were 
thought  applicable  to  a  far  milder  sovereign.  Dr.  Poynet 
firrote  "  A  Defence  for  Marriage  of  Priests,"  1549,  8vo; 
aMi  has  been  thought  the  author  of  an  answer  to  the  popish 
Dr.  Martin  on  the  same  subject,  entitled  ^^  An  Apojogie, 
fully  aunswering,  by  Scriptures  and  anc^ant  doctors,  a 
blasphemose  book,  gathered  by  D.  Stephen  Gardiner,"  &c« 
&c.  But  Wharton,  in  his  observations  on  Strype's  Me- 
morials of  Cranmer,  assigns  very  sufficient  reasons  why  it 
^ould  not  be  Poynet's.  *    . 

POZZO,  MODESTA.  See  FONTE  MODERATA. 
.  PRATT  (Charles,  Earl  Camden),  an  eminent  English 
lawyer,  was  the  son  of  sir  John  Pratt.  This  sir  Jphn  Pratt 
^iras  a  student  at  Oxford,  and  fellow  of  Wadham  colleget 
in  the  hall  of  which  is  bis  portrait,  among  other  distin- 
guished members  and  benefactors  of  the  80ciety«  Apply* 
in^  himself  to  the  study  of  the  law,  he  was  called  to  the 
l)ar  about  the  end  of  king  Charles  IL's  reign;  and,  after 
{various  gradations  in  the  dignities  of  bis  profession,  was  in 
1718  constituted  lord  chief  justice  of  the  court  of  King^s 
Bench.  He  died  in  1724,  when  the  subject  of  the  present 
article  was  ^a  child,  one  of  the  sons  of  bis  second  wife^ 
Elizabeth  Wilson.  He  was  born  in  1713;  and,  after  being 
educated  in  school-learning  at  Eton,  entered  of  King's 
college,  Cambridge,  on  the  election  in  172>1,  and  became 
a  fqliow  of  that  society.  In  1735  be  took  the  degree  of 
B.  A.  and  in  1739  that  of  M.  A.  after  which  he  became  a 
•member  of  Lincoln's  Inn ;  and  having  regularly  gone 
through  his  law  studies,  was  called  to  the  bar.  For  many 
years,  however,  he  had  so  little  practice,  that  at  one-time 
he  had  resolved  to  relinquish  his  attendance  at  Westniin- 
«ter  Hall ;    but,  by  degrees  he  became  noticed ;  and,  ia 

*  Godwin  de  Presul. — Bale. — ^Tanner. — Strype's  Life  of  Cranmer ^oiftm.—' 
G«n.  Dict.~Fa11er*s  Worthies.— Dodd's  Ch.  Hist.— Churton's  Life  of  NoweiJ.— 
acilner'a  Hist,  of  Winchester,  voL  L  p.  346. 


PRATT.  «7 

1752,  we  find  him  supportiog  the  risphts  of  juries,  in  oppo*- 
sition  to  Mr,  Murray,  afterwar(}s  lord  Mansfield,  in  a  case 
of  libel,  the  K.ing  v.  Oweh,  wbeu  his  client  was  acquitted. 

In  1754  he  was  chosen  repr/esentative  for  the  borou(^h  of 
I>ownton,  in  Wiltshire;  and  in  1739,  recorder  of  Bath; 
and  the  same  year  was  made  bis  majesty ^s  attorney  general. 
In  Dec.  .1761,  he  was  constituted  chief  justice  of  the 
court  of  Common  Pleas,  and  received  the  honour  of 
knighthood ;  and  in  1762,  was  called  to  the  degree  of  ser«- 
jeant-at-Iaw. 

His  lordship  had  the  reputation  of  having  presided  in 
that  court  with  a  dignity,  weight,  and  impartiality,  never 
exceeded  by  any  of  his  predecessors;  and  when  tiie  cele- 
brated John  Wilkes  was  seized  and  committed  to  the 
Tower,  upon  a  general  warrant,  bis  lordship  granted  him 
an  Habeas  Corpus  >  and  when  Wilkes  was  brought  before 
the  couit  of  Common  Pleas,  discharged  him  from  his  con- 
finement in  the  Tower,  on  May  6,  1763,  after  stating  the 
case,  in  a  speech  which  did  him  great  honour.  His^wise 
and  spirited  behaviour  upon  this  occasion,  and  in  the  con- 
sequent judicial  proceedings,  between  the  printers  of  the 
^  North  Briton'*  and  others  concerned  in -that  publication, 
or  in  apprehending  the  authors,  was  so  acceptable  to  the 
nation,  that  the  lord  mayor,  aldermen,  and  common-coun- 
cil of  the  city  of  I^ndon,  presented  him  with  the  freedom 
of  their  corporation  in  a  gold  box,  and  desired  him  to  sit 
for  his  picture,  which  was  put  up  in  the  Guildhall  in  1764, 
with  a  suitable  inscription  at  tlie  bottom  of  the  frame.  The 
guild  of  merchants  of  the  city  of  Dublin,  also  voted  him 
the  freedom  of  their  guild,  in  a  gold  box ;  the  corporation 

8f  barber>surgeons  of  that  city  voted  him  his  freedom 
hereof;  and  the  sheriffs  and  commons  of  Dublin  presented 
him  their  thanks  '^  for  the  distinguished  zeal  and  loyalty 
which  he  has  shewn  in  asserting  and  maintaining  the  rights 
and  liberties  of  the  subject,' in  the  high  station  whicji  he 
now  fills,  with  remarkable  dignity ;  and  for  his  particular 
services  to  this  kingdom,  in  the  office  of  attorney^general.^ 
Other  towns  sent  him  testimonies  of  their  regard,  and  his 
popularity  was  now  at  its  height.  In  1765  he  was  created 
a  peer  of  Great  Britain  by  the  title  of  lord  Camden,  barost 
Camden  in  the  county  of  Kent;  and  on  July  30,  1766,  his 
majesty,  upon  the  resignation  of  lord  Northington,  deli-^ 
vered  the  great  seal  to  bis  lordship,  as  lord  high  chancellor 
of  Great  Britaius  It  was  the  Rockingham  admipistratioii 
Vol.  XXV.  .         S 


a5t  PRATT. 

who  promoted  his  lordshjp^s  advancement  to  the  peefag^'^; 
but  they  did  not  thereby  obtain  his  entire  support  in  par* 
liament;  for  when  the  declaratory  bill,  asserting  the  right 
of  parliament  to  make  laws,  binding  the  colonies  in  all  cases 
whatever,  was  brought  into  the  House  of  Lords,  he  opposed 
it  with  the  greatest  vigour.  Lord  Camden,  whatever  might 
be  thought  of  his  opinions,  was  uniformly  independent, 
ahd  incurred  a  portion  of  popular  odium  for  supporting 
she  suspension  of  the  law,  in  order  to  prevent  the  exporta* 
lion  of  corn  at  a  time  when  scarcity  was  impending.  On^ 
this  occasion  he  happened  to  make  a  sarcastic  reply  to  lord 
Temple,  which  drew  upon  him  the  wrath  of  Junius ;  but 
for  this  he  had  as  little  regard  as  for  the  more  sober  in- 
vectives of  party.  As  a  lord  chancellor,  he  appears  to 
have  conciliated  the  good  opinion  of  all  parties.  His  acute- 
uess  and  judgment,  and  the  perspicuity  with  which  he  de- 
livered his  opinions,  and  his  general  politeness,  mixed 
with  a  becoming  regard  to  the  dignity  of  his  office,  at! 
produced  the  highest  respect  and  confidence  in  his  deci- 
sions. But  as  he  still  adhered  to  his  opinion  against  the 
taxation  of  the  Americans,  which  he  strongly  and  publicly 
opposed  on  every  occasion,  he  was  removed  from  his  high 
pfficeinl770. 

In  March  1782,  on  an  entire  change  of  men  and  measures, 
in  consequence  of  the  failure  of  the  American  war,  he  was 
appointed  president  of  the  council,  which,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  a  short  secession  during  the  coalitioo-aidministra- 
;ion,  he  held  through  life,  and  gave  his  support  to  the 
inieasures  by  which  Mr.  Pitt  provided  for  the  safety  of  the 
country,  when  the  French  revolution  had  let  loose  the  dis- 
grganizing  principles  of  bad  men  of  all  nations.  In  May 
1786,  lord  Camden  was  advanced  to  the  farther  dignities 
pf  viscount  Bayham  and  earl  Camden,  and  lived  to  enjoy 
bis  well-earned  honours  to  his  death,  April  1 8,  1 794.  High 
as  his  lordship's  character  stood  with  the  public,  it  was  not 
superior  to  the  esteem  which  his  private  virtues  univer- 
sally procured.  In  his  relative  duties  he  was  affectionate, 
benevolent,  and  cheerful.  His  mind  and  manners  threw 
an  amiable  colouring  over  every  action.  A  pamphlet  has 
been  attributed  to  him,  entitled  **  An  Inquiry  into  the 
nature  and  effect  of  the  writ  of  Habeas  Corpus^  the  great 
bulwark  of  English  liberty,  both  at  common  law,  and  un- 
der the  act  of  parliament :  and  also  into  the  propriety  of 
explaining  and  extending  that  aqt,"  Lond.   1758>    8vo. 


PRATT.  259 

Another  is  mentioned  by  Mr.  Park^  which  can  scarcely  be 
called  bis^  although  relating  to  him ;  "  Lord  Camden's 
argument  in  Doe,  on  the  demise  of  Hindson,  &ic.  versus 
Kersey ;  wherein  Lord  Mansfield's  argument  in  Wyndham 
versus  Chetwynd,  is  considered  and  answered."  This  is 
said  to  have  been  first  printied  in  4to,  at  London,  and  sup- 
pressed by  an  order  of  the  court  of  ComaK>n  Pleas,  over 
which  lord  Camden  at  that  time  presided.  It  was,  how- 
ever, published  at  Dublin  in  1766,  8vo. 

His  lordship  married  Elizabeth,  daughter,  and  at  length 
sole  heiress,  of  Nicholas  Jeffreys,  esq.*  of  the  Priory  in 
Breconshire,  by  whom  he  had  a  numerous  issue.  He  was 
succeeded  in  titles  and  estate  by  his  son  John  Jeffreys^ 
the  present  earl  Camden. ' 

PRATT  (Samuel  Jackson),  a  poet  and  miscellaneous 
writer,  is  said  to  have  been  born  of  a  good  family,  at  St. 
Ives,  in  Huntingdonshire,  Dec.  25,  1749.  He  was  edu* 
cated  at  Felstead,  in  Essex,  and  was  originally  brought  up 
to  the  church.  This,  however,  he  appears  to  have  quitted 
for' the  stage,  which  he  attempted  in  London,  in  1774,. 
with  very  little' success.  After  his  failure  in  this  attempt, 
he  subsisted  chiefly  by  writing.  He  also  was  for  some  time 
a  bookseller  at  Bath,  where,  and  at  other  places,  he  oc- 
casionally delivered  lectures  on  the  English  language.  For 
many  years  after  his  appearance  on  the  stage,  he  assumed 
the  name  of  Courtney  Melmoth,  which  likewise  is  prefixed  to 
most  of  his  publicatiotis.  As  an  author,  he  was  very  prolific. 
The  first  of  his  productions  which  attracted  the  notice  of  the 
public,  was  ^.'The  Tears  of  Genius,  occasioned  by  the  Death 
of  Dr.  Goldsmith,  1774,*'  whose  poetical  works  he  endea- 
voured^ and  not  always  unsuccessfully,  to  make  the  model  of 
his  own.  His  poem  of  ^'  Sympathy^*  was  perhaps  his  best,  and 
has  passed  through  many  editions,  and  is  characterized  by 
feeling,  energy,  and  beauty.  His  first  novel,  entitled 
**  Liberal  Opinions  upon  Animals,  Man,  and  Providence," 
1775,  &c.  was  published  in  detached  volumes,  which  were 
eagerly  perused  as  they  successively  appeared.  His  *<Shen- 
stoniB  Green,"  «  Emma  Corbett,"  "  The  Pupil  of  Plea- 
sure, or  the  New  System  (Lord  Chesterfield's)  illustrated," 
had  likewise  a  temporary  popiUarity.  His  other  novel  of 
any  note  was  entitled  "Family  Secrets,"  1797,  5  vols. 

1  Cdlliiit'i  Peerage,  by  sir  £.  Brydget.— Harwood's  Alumni  Etbueoser.-^ 
Fark's  edition  of  ih%  Royal  and  Noble  Authocs.— Almoa's  Anecdotes^  vol.  I.  . 

^2 


no  PRATT. 

l2mo,  but  bad  not  the  success  of  the  former.  His  dra- 
matic productions  were,  a  tragedy,  "  The  Fair  Circassian/* 
taken  from  Hawkesworth^s  ^'  Almoran  and  {laroet/'  which 
required  all  the  support  of  himself  and  friends^  in  tha 
newspapers,  to  render  it  palatable  for  a  few  nights.  His 
other  dramatic  pieces,  enumerated  in  the  Biog.  Dram. 
T/ere  so  little  successful  as  to  be  soon  forgot. 

Other  works  by  Mr.  Pratt,  not  noticed  in  the  above  ac- 
count, are  :  "  The  Sublime  and  Beautiful  of  Scripture. 
Being  Essays  on  select  Passages  of  Sacred  Compositions,** 

1777.  "  An  Apology  for  the  Life  and  Writings  of  Ps^vid 
Hume,''  1777.  "  Travels  of  the  Heart,  written  in  France,'* 

1778,  2  vols.  "Observations  on  Young's  Night  Thoughts,'* 
9vo.  "  Landscapes  in  Verse,  taken  in  Spring,"  1785. 
^^Miscellanies,"  1786,  4  vols,  which  included  tbQ  most 
popular  of  the  preceding  pieces*  "  Triumph  of  Benevo- 
lence," a  poem,  occasioned  by  the  design  of  erecting  Sk 
Monument  to  Mr.  Howard.  '^  Humanity,  or  the  Rights  o£ 
Nature,"  a  poem,  1788.  "  An  Ode  on  bis  Majesty's  Re- 
covery." "  A  Letter  to  the  Tars  of  Old  England,"  and 
"A  Letter  to  the  British  Soldiers,"  1797.  "  John  and 
Dame  ;  or,  The  Loyal  Cottagers,"  a  ppem,  1803.  "  Har- 
vest Home,  consisting  of  Supplementary  Gleanings,  Ori- 
ginal Dramas  and  Poems,  Contributions  of  Literary  Friends^ 
und  Select  Republications,  including  Sympathy,  a  poem, 
revised,  corrected,  and  enlarged,  from  the  eighth  edition,'* 
1805,  3  vols.  8vo.  **The  Cabinet  of  Poetry,  containing 
the  best  entire  pieces  which  are  to  be  found  in  the  ^yorks 
of  the  British  Poets,  from  Milton  to  Beattie.  The  Works 
gf  each  Poet  prefaced  by  an  Account  of  his  Life  and  Cha- 
racter, by  Mr.  Pratt  j"  6  vols.  1808.  "The  Contrast,  a 
Poem,  including  Comparative  Views  of  Britain,  Spain,  and 
France,"  1808.  "The  Lower  World,  a  poem,  in  four 
books,  with  notes,"  1810.  "  A  Descriptiou  of  ly-eqming- 
ton  Spa,"  a  retreat  of  Mr.  Pratt's,  &c.  To  these  we  may 
fidd  his  "Gleanings,"  or  Travels  Abroad  and  in  England, 
in  which  there  is  some  amusement,  but  so  much  mixture 
of  fiction,  that  very  little  reliance  can  be  placed  on  them 
for  matters  of  fact.  Mr.  Pratt  died  Oct.  4,  1814,^  at  bis 
apartments  in  Colmore-row,  Birmingham.  Hq  was  un- 
questionably a  man  of  genius,  and  a  selection  might  be 
made  from  bis  works  which  would  establish  his  reputation 
9LS  a  poet ;  but  his  necessities  seldom  gave  him  time  to  po- 
}is.h  and  correct,  and  his  vanity  prompted  hioi  so  often  to' 


PRATT.  tSI 

become  his  bwil  revietrei*  aud  his  own  panegyrisl,  that  fot 
tdtile  yedrs  before  bis  death  he  sunk  in  respect  with  thfe 
}>ublici  There  are  no  marks  of  learning  in  any  of  his  J>er- 
fortxHirices ;  ahd  from  the  time  he  devoted  himself  to  repre- 
sent fictiori  on  the  stage^  his  general  conduct  was  that  of  i 
Id&n  playing  a  part,  or  led  through  the  adventures  of  a 
floVel;  It  was  to  his  praise,  however,  that  in  his  lattet* 
d^ys  bis  works  contained  a  more  pure  morality  than  some 
be  bad  published  at  ah  earlier  period  of  his  life. ' 

PRAXITELES,  st  most  celebrated  Grecian  sculptor, 
flourished,  according  to  Pliny,  in  the  I04tb  olympiad, 
that  is,  about  364  years  before  the  Christian  aera.  He 
worked  chiefly  in  Parian  marble,  to  which  he  seemed  to 
convey  not  only  expression  but  animation.  He  was  much 
attached  to  the  beautiful  Phryne,  to  whom  he  promised  to 
give  the  very  finest  of  his  works,  if  she  would  select  it. 
Not  trusting  to  her  own  judgment  irt  this  itiatter,  she  con- 
trived a  stratagem,  as  Pausanias  relates,  to  discover  which 
he  most  esteemed.  She  ran  to  him  in  a  pretended  alarm, 
Exclaiming  that  his  workshop  was  on  fire,  when  he  imme- 
diately cried  out,  **  If  my  Satyr  and  Cupid  are  not  saved, 
I  am  rained."  Having  thus  learned  his  private  thoughts, 
she  took  advantage  of  them  in  making  her  choice.  His  lovd 
for  Phryne  led  him  also  to  preserve  her  beauties  by  his  art; 
tod  her  statue,  carved  by  him,  stood  afterwards  in  the  tem-^ 
pie  at  Delphi,  between  those  of  Archidamus  king  of  Sparta, 
and  Philip  of  Macedon.  Grace  and  beauty  prevailed  in 
ei'ery  work  of  Praxiteles  ;  and  his  statue  of  Venus  clothed, 
#hich  was  bought  by  the  inhabitants  of  Coos,  was  only  sur- 
passed by  a  naked  figure  of  the  same  goddess,  which  wasi 
obtained  by  the  Cnidians.  It  is  uncertain  whether  ainy 
work  of  Praxiteles  remains  ;  but  an  antique  Cupid,  for- 
iMerly  possessed  by  Isabella  d^Este,  of  the  ducal  family  of 
Mantu^,  was  supposed  to  have  been  the  production  of  his 
art.* 

'  PREMONTVAL  (Peter  le  Gnat/  de),  of  the  acaderhy 
6f  sciences  at  Berlin,  was  born  at  Charenton  Feb.  16,  1716. 
His  attachment  to  the  mathematics  was  so  strong,  that  he 
opened  a  school  at  Paris,  in  1740,  where  he  taught  them 
gratuitously,  and  formed  several  excellent  scholars,  hut 
^ bis  temper  was  acrimonious  and  haughty,  which  created 

1  Gent.  Mrff.  vol.  LXXXIV. — Biog.  tram. — toiirtgesr's  Common  Place  Book, 
vol.  m.  9  HayJey*s  Essay  on  Sculpture.  \ 


262  P  R  E  M  O  N  T  V  A  L, 

bim  so  many  enemies,  that  he  quitted  France  for  Bftle^ 
where  he  staid  a  year  or  two;  and  having  wandered  for  some 
time  in  various  cities  of  Qermany,  he  iinally  settled  at 
Berlin  ;  where,  though  he  did  not  escape  quarrels,  he  was 
altogether  successful,  and  became  ^n  author.  He  died  at 
Berlin  in  1767,  at  the  age  of  fifty -one.  His  works :  are 
neither  nqiperous  nor  very  valuable.  The  best  is,  1.  His 
f  ^  Pr^servatifs  contre  la  corruption  de  la  langue  Frangoise  en 
Allemagne.''  He  wrote  also,  2.  '^  La  Monogamie,  ou 
Punit^  en  Mariage,'*  1751,  3  vols.  8vo  ;  a  work  of  learning, 
but  whimsical  and  tiresome.  3.  "  Le  Diogene  die  I'Alem- 
hert ;"  not  so  singular  as  the  preceding,  but  not  better 
written,  with  some  tendency  to  modern  sophistry.  4.  Se? 
veral  memoirs  in  the  volumes  of  the  academy  at  Berliti. 
He  appears  to  have  been  in  a  great  degree  unsettled  in  hi^ 
religious  opinions  ;  jnclining  at  times  tp  Socinianism,  and 
the  doctrines  of  fortuitous  creation  ;  at  others  producing 
strong  suggestions  in  favour  of  religion.' 

PRESTET  (John,)  a  priest  of  the  oratory,  son  of  a 
Serjeant  at  Cb&Ions-sur-Saone,  was  born  in  1648.  He  went 
to  Paris  early  in  life,  and,  having  finished  his  studies  there, 
entered  into  the  service  of  father  Malebranche,  who, 
finding  he  had  a  genius  for  the  sciences,  taught  him  mathe- 
matics, in  which  the  young  pupil  ipiade  so  rapid  a  progress, 
that,  at  the  age  of  seventeen  be  published  the  first  editiou 
of  his '^  E16mens  de  Math^matique?.^'  ^n  the. same  year, 
1675,  he  entered  the  pongregation  of  the  oratory,  audi 
taught  mathematics  with  distinguished  reputation,  particur. 
larly  at  Angers.  He  died  June  8,  1690,  at  Mechlin.  The 
best  edition  of  his  "  Elements,"  is  that  of  1689,  2  vols, 
4to.    They  contain  many  curious  problems.'. 

PRESTRE.     SeeVAUBAN. 

PSESTON  (John),  a  celebrated  divine  in  the  beginning 
of  the  seventeenth  century,  descended  from  the  Prestons, 
of  Preston  in  Lancashire,  was  born  at  Heyford,  in  Norths 
^mptonshir^,  in  Oct.  1 587.  Au  uncle  on  the  mother's  side^ 
who  resided  at  Northampton,  undertook  the  care  of  his 
education,  and  placed  him  at  first  at  the  free-school  of  that 
town,  and  afterwards  under  s^  Mr.  Guest,  an  able.  Greek 
scholar,  who  resided  in  Bedfordshire.  With  him  be.  re- 
Qiained  until  1584,  when   he  was  admitted  of  King's  col"^ 

'  Diet.  Hist.*.— Necrologe  desJiommes  Celebres,  pour  ann^e  1770. 
'  Diet.  HisU— Moreri. 


P  R  E  S  TO  N.  «69 

lege,  Cambridge.  Here  be  appUled  to  wbafc  bis  biographer 
tells  119  was  at  tbat  time  the  genius  of  the  college,  viz. 
musiq,  studied  its. theory,  and  practised  on  the  lute  ;  but 
thinking  this  a  waste  of  time,  he  would  have  applied  him- 
self to  matters  of  more  importance,  .could  he  have  remained 
here, .  but  as  not  coming  from  Eton  school,  he  could  not  be 
upon  the  foundation.  Being  therefore  incapable  of  prefer- 
ment, he  removed  to  Queen^s  college,  and  by  the  instruc- 
tions of  Oliver  Bowles,  an  able  tutor,  be  soon  became  dis- 
tinguished for  his  proficiency,  especially  in  the  philosophy 
of  Aristotle,  and  took  his  degrees  with  uncommon  reputa- 
tion. Bowles  leaving  college  for  a  living,  his  next  tutor  wa/» 
Dr.  Porter,  who,  astonished  at  his  talents,  recommended  him 
to  the  notice  of  the  master.  Dr.  Tyndal^  dean  of  Ely,  by 
whose  influence  he  was  chosen  fellow  in  1609.  Thin  he 
appears  to  have  thought  rather  convenient  than  honourable,, 
for  at  this  time  his  mind  was  much  set  on  public  life,  and 
on  rising  at  court.  He  continued,  however,  to  pursue  his 
studies,  to  which  he  now  added  that  of  o^edicine ;  and, 
although  he  did  this  probably  without  any  vi^w  to  it  as  a 
profession,  we  are  told  that  when  any  of  his  pupils  were 
ai<:k,  he  sometimes  took  the  liberty  to  alter  the  physicians* 
prescriptions.  Botany  and  astronomy,  or  rather  astrology, 
also  engrossed  some  part  of  bis  attention.  But  from  all 
these  pursuits  he  was  at  once  diverted  by  a  seroion  preached 
at  St.  Mary's  by  Mr.  Cotton,. .which  made  such  an.impresr 
sion  on  him,  that  be  immediately  resolved  on  the  study  of 
divinity,  and  began,  as  was  then  usual,  by.  perusing  the 
9choolmen.  '<  There  was  nothing,'Vsays  bis  biographer, 
^'  that  ever  Scotus  or  Occam  wrote,  but  he  had  weighed 
and  examined;  he  delighted. much  to  read  them  in  the  first; 
and  oldest  editions  that  could  be  got*  I  have  still  a  Scotu^ 
ip  a  very  old  print,  and  a  paper  not  inferior  to  parchment^ 
that  baith  his  hand  and  notes  upon  it  throughout ;  yet  be 
<:ontinued  longer  in  Aquinas ;  whose  sums  he  would  some- 
times-read  as  the  barber  cut  his  hair,  and  when  it  fell  upon 
the  place  he  read,  he  would  not  lay  down  his  book,  but 
blow  it  off.'* 

While  thus  employed,.  ki,ng  James  paid  a  visit  to  Cam- 
bridge, and  Dr.  Harsnet,  the  vice-chancellor,  ^^  knowing 
well  the  critical  and  able  apprehension  of  his  majesty,''  se*? 
lected  the  ablest  in  every  faculty  to  dispute,  which  was 
then  a  mode  of  entertaining  royal  visitors.  Preston  he  se- 
ttled tQ  answer  in  the  philosophy  act,  and  there  wa>  a  tiijne 


264t  PRESTO  N. 

when  be  would  have  been  proud  of  the  honour ;  but  his 
thoughts  were  now  so  much  fixed  on  divinity,  that  the  apr 
plause  of  kings  and  courts  had  no  longer  any  charms.  In 
the  mean  time  a  dispute  arose  about  the  place  of  answereTy 
which  terminated  in  Mr.  Preston's  being  appointed ^rs/  op* 
penenU  The  account  of  this  dispute,  as  given  by  Prestoa's 
biographer,  is  so  curious  an  illustration  of  the  academical 
customs,  of  the  time,  that  we  are  persuaded  no  apology  can 
be  necessary  for  giving  it  in  his  own  words.  It  exhibits 
king  James  also  in  one  of  his  favourite  characters. 

**  His  (Mr.  Preston's)  great  and  first  care  was  to  bring  his 
argument  unto  a  head,  without  affronts  or  interruptions 
irofu  the  an^werer^  and  so  made  all  bis  major  propositions 
plausible  and  firm,  that  bis  adversary  might  neither  be  will- 
ing nor  able  to  enter  there,  and  the  minor  still  was  backed 
by  other  syllogisms,  and  so  the  argument  went  on  unto  the 
issue :  which  fell  out  well  for  master  Preston ;  for  in  dis- 
putations of  consequence,  the  answerers  are  many  times  so 
fearful  of  the  event,  that  they  slur  and  trouble  the  opponents 
all  they  can,  hnd  deny  things  evident,  which  had  been  the 
case  in  all  the  former  acts ;  there  was  such  wrangling  about 
their  syllogisms,  that  sullied  and  clouded  the  debates  ex- 
tre^iely,  and  put  the  king's  aetsmen  into  straits ;  but  whea 
master  Preston  still  cleared  his  way,  and  nothing  was  de- 
nied, but  what  was  ready  to  be  proved,  the  king  was  greatly 
satisfied,  and  gave  good  heed,  which  he  might  well  do,  be- 
cause the  question  was  tempered  and  fitted  unto  his  con- 
tent; namely.  Whether  dogs  could  make  s^fUogisms  ? 

*^  The  opponent  urged,  that  they  could ;  an  Eathymeme 
(said  he)  is  a  lawful  and  real  syllogism,  but  dogs  can  make 
them ;  be  instanced  in  an  hound  who  had  the  major  pro- 
position in  his  mind,  namely,  *  the  hare  is  gone  either  tfaas 
or  that  way ;'  smells  out  the  minor  with  his  nose,  namely, 
'  she  is  not  gone  that  way,'  and  follows  the  conclusion, 
^  Ergo,  this  way  with  open  mouth.'  The  instance  suited 
Ae  auditory,  and  was  applauded ;  and  put  the  answermr  to 
his  distinctions,  that  dogs  might  bare- sagacity  but  not  sa- 
piencej  in  things  especially  of  prey,  and  that  did  concern 
their  belly,  might  be  nasutidi,  but  not  hgici;  had  much 
in  their  mouths,  little  in  their  minds,  unless  it  had  relation 
to  their  mouths ;  that  their  lips  were  larger  than  their 
understandings:  which  the  opponent,  still  endeavouring  to 
wipe  off  with  another  syllogism,  and  put  the  dogs  upon  a 
fresh  scent,  the  moderator,  Dr.  Reade,  began  to  be  a^raidy 


PRESTON.  2es 

and  to  think  bow  trooblesome  a  pack  of  hounds,  well  fol- 
lowed and  applauded,  at  last  might  prove,  and  so  came  to 
the  answerer^s  aid,  and  told  the  opponent  that  his  dogs,  he 
did  believe,  were  very  weary,  and  desired  him  to   take* 
them  off,  and  start  some  other  argument ;  and  when  the 
opponent  would  not  yield,  but  halloed  still  and  put  them  on, 
be  interposed  his  authority,  and  silenced  him.     The  king 
in  bis  conceit  was  all  the  while  upon  Newmarket  heath, 
and  liked  tbe  sport,  and  therefore  stands  up,  and  tells  the 
moderator  plainly  he  was  not  satisfied  in  all  tb&t  bad  been 
answered,  but  did  believe  an  bound  bad  more  in  him  than 
waa  imagined.     I  bad  myself  (said  he)  a  dog,  that  strag- 
gling far  from  all  his  fellows,  had  light  upon  a  very  fresh 
scent^  but  considering  he  was  all  alone,  and  had  none  to 
second  and  assist  him  in  it,  observes  the  place,  and  goes 
away  unto  his  fellows,  and  by  such  yelling  arguments  as 
they  best  understand,  prevailed  with  a  party  of  them  to  ga 
along  wftb  bim,  and  bringing  them  unto  the  place,  pur- 
sued it  into  an  open  view.     Now  the  king  desired  for  to 
know  how  this  could  be  contrived  and  carried  on   witbodt 
the  use  and  exercise  of  underststnding,  or  what  the  mode-- 
rator  could  have  done  in  that  case  better ;  and  desired  him 
that  either  he  would  think  better  of  his  dogs,  or  not  so 
highly  of  himself. 

"  The  opponent  also  desired  leave  to  pursue  the  king*s 
game,^  which  he  bad  started,  unto  an  issue ;  but  the  an- 
swerer protested  tbat  his  majesty*s  dogs  were  Always  to  be 
excepted,  who  bunted  not  by  common  law,  but  by  prero- 
gative. And  the  moderator,  fearing  the  king  might  let  loose 
another  of  his  hounds,  and  make  more  work,  applies  him- 
self with  all  submisse  devotion  to  the  king,  acknowledged 
his  dogs  were  able  to  out-do  him,  and  besought  his  ma- 
jesty for  to  believe  they  bad  the  better :  That  he  would 
consider  bow  bis  illustrious  influence  had  already  ripened 
and  concocted  all  their  arguments  and  understandings; 
tbat  whereas  in  the  morning  the  reverend  and  grave  di- 
vines could  not  make  syllogisms,  the  lawyers  could  not, 
nor  tbe  physicians ;  now  every  dog  could,  especially  his 
migesty's.'* 

Mr.  Preston's  part  in  this  singular  disputation  might 
have  led  to  favour  at  court,  if  he  had  been  desirous  of  it ; 
and  sir  Fulk  Greville,  afterwards  lord  Brook,  was  so  pleased 
with  his  performance  that  he  settled  50/.  perann,  upon 
him,  and  was  his  friend  ever  after ;  but  he  was  now  seri- 


S66  PRESTON. 

ously  intent  on  the  office  of  a  preacher  of  the  gospel,  and 
having  studied  Calvin,  and  adopted  his  religious  opinions, 
be  became  suspected  of  puritanism,  which  was  then  much 
discouraged  at  court.     In  the  mean  time  bis  reputation  for 
learning  induced  mauy  persons  of  eminence  to  place  their 
sons  under  his  tuition ;  and  Fuller  telU  us,  he  was  ''  the 
greatest  pupil-monger  ever  known  in  England,  having  six- 
teen fellow-commons  admitted  into  Queen's  college  in  one 
year,''  while   he  continued   himself  so  assiduous  in   his 
studies  as  considerably  to  impair  his  health.    When,  it 
came  to  his  turn  to  be  dean  and  catechistof  his  college,  be 
began  such  9,  course  of  divinity-lectures  as  might  direct  the 
juniors  in  that  study;  and  these  being  of  the  popular  kind, 
were  so  much  frequented,  not  only  by  the  members  of 
other  colleges,  but  by  the  townsmen,  that  a  complaint  was 
at  length  made  to  ^e  vice-chancellor,  and  an  order  given 
that  no  townsmen  or  scholars  of  other  colleges  should  be 
permitted  to  attend.     His  character  for  puritantsm  seems 
now  to  have  been   generally  established,    and   he   was 
btought  into  trouble  by  preaching  at  St.  Botolph's  church, 
although  prohibited  by  Dr.  Newcomb,  commissary  to  the 
chancellor  of  Ely,  who  informed  the  bishop  and  the  king, 
then  at  Newmarket,  of  this  irregularity.     On  the  part  of 
Newcomb,  this  appears  to  have  been  the  consequence  of 
a  private  pique;  but  whatever  might  be  his  motive,  the 
matter  qame  to  be  heard  at  court,   and  the  issue  was,   that 
Mr.  Preston  was  desired  to  give  his  sentiments  on  the  Iit 
turgy  at  St.  Botolph's  church  by  way  of  riecantation.     He 
accordingly   handled  the  subject  in  such  a  manner  as 
cleared  himself  from  any  suspicion  of  disliking  the  forms  of 
the  liturgy,  and  soon  ^fter  it  came  to  bis  turn  to  preach 
before  the  king  when  at  Hinchingbrook.     The  court  that 
day,  a  Tuesday,  was  very  thin,  the  prince  and  the  duke 
of  Buckingham  b^ing  both  absent.     After  dinner,  which 
Mr.  Preston  had  the  honour  of  partaking  at  his  majesty's 
table,  he  was  so  much  complimented  by  the  king,  that 
when  he  retired,  the  marquis  of  Hamilton  recommended 
him  to  his  majesty  to  be  one  of  his  chaplains,  as  a  man 
^*  who  had  substance  and  matter  in  him."     The  king  aspv 
sented  to  this,  but  remembering  his  late  conduct  at  Cam- 
bridge, declined  giving  him  the  appointment. 

Such,  however,  was  Mr.  Preston's  weight  at  this  time 
that  it  was  recommended  to  the  duke  of  Buckingham  by 
all  me^iQs  to  patronize  him,  and  thus,  do  an  act  highly 


PRESTON.  267 

Mceptable  to  the  puritans  who  might  prove  his  grace's 
friends,  in  case  his  other  friends  should  fait.  The  duke 
accordingly  applied  in  his  behalf  to  the  king,  who  still  de- 
murred, but  at  last  fancied  that  his  favours  to  Preston 
might  have  a  different*  effect  from  what  the  duke  medi- 
tated. The  duke  wished  to  court  him,  as  the  head  of  a 
party ;  the  king  thought  that  by  giving  him  preferment, 
he  should  detach  him  from  that  party.  In  this  conflict  of 
motives,  it  occurred  to  some  of  Mr.  Preston's  friends  that 
it  would  be  preferable  to  appoint  him  chaplain  to  the 
prince  ^(afterwards  Charles  I.),  who  now  was  grown  up  and 
bad  a  household.  Sir  Ralph  Freeman,  a  relation  of  Mr. 
Preston's,  suggested  this  to  the  duke,  who  immediately 
sent  for  the  latter,  and  receiving  him  with  such  a  serious 
air  as  he  thought  would  be  acceptable,  told  him  that  the 
•prince  and  himself  having  the  misfortune  to  be  absent 
when  he  preached,  i/^ould  be  obliged  to  him  for  a  topy  of 
his  sermon,  and  entreated  him  to  believe  that  he  would  be 
always  ready  to  serve  him  to  the  best  and  utmost  of  his 
power.  The  sermon  was  accordingly  written  out  in  a  fair 
hand,  and  presented,  and  the  preacher  havings  been  intro- 
duced to  the  prince,  was  formally  admitted  one  of  his  six 
chaplains  in  ordinary. 

<  About  the  time  that  Mr.  Preston  was  thus  honoured.  Or. 
Dunn,  the  preacher  of  Lincoln's-inn,  died,  and  the  place 
was  offered  to  our  author,  and  accepted  by  him, -as  he 
pould  now  ^^  have  an  opportunity  of  exercising  his  ministry 
to  a  considerable  and  intelligent  congregation,  where;  he 
was  assured,  many  parliament  men,  and  others  of  his  best 
acquaintance,  would  be  his  hearers,  and  where  in  term-time 
be  should  be  well  accommodated."  His  usual  popularity 
followed  him  here,  yet  he  was  not  so  much  reconciled  to 
the  situation  as  he  would  have  been  to  a  similar  one  at 
Cambridge.  There  he  would  have  students  for  his  hearers 
who  would  propagate  the  gospel,  which  he  thought  the 
lawyers  were  not  likely  to  do;  and  his  Cambridge  friends 
seemed  to  be  6f  the  same  opinion,  and  wished  him  again 
among  them.  To  promote  this  object,  some  of  the  fellow^ 
of  Emanuel  college  endeavoured  to  prevail  upon  their 
master.  Dr.  Chaderton,  who  was  old,  and  **  had  outlived 
many  of  those  great  relations  which  he  had  before,^'  to 
resign,  in  which  case  they  hoped  to  procure  Mr.  Prestori 
to  succeed  him,  who  was  **  a  good  man,  and  yet  a  cour- 
|.ier|  the  prince's  chaplain,    and  very  gracious   with  the 


268  PRESTON. 

duke  of  fiackingbam.'*    Tvro  obstacles  presented  them- 
selves  to  this  design ;  the  one  Dr.  Chaderton's  unwilling- 
ness to  be  laid  aside  without  some  provision  for  bis  old 
age ;  and  the  second^  their  diread  lest  some  person  might 
procure  a  mandate  to  succeed  who  was  disagreeable  to 
them^  and  might  be  injurious  to  the  interests  of  the  col- 
lege that  had  flourished  tinder  Dr.  Cbaderton's  manage- 
ment.    This  last  apprehension  they  represented  to  him  in 
such  a  manner  that,  after  some   hesitation,  he  entered 
into  their  views^  and  desired  that  Mr.  Preston  biight  em- 
ploy his  interest  wi^  his  court-friends  to  prevent  any ' 
mandate  being  granted,  and  likewise  to  secure  some  pro- 
Tision  for  himself.     Accordingly  by  a  letter  from  the  duke 
of  Buckingham  addressed  to  Dr«  Chaderton,  dated  Sept. 
20,  1622,  we  find  that  both  these  objects  were  attained, 
and  Mr.  Preston  admitted  master  of  Emanuel  before  the 
news  bad  transpired    of    bis    predecessor's  resignation. 
When  his  proniotion  became  known,  it  affected  the  two 
parties  into  which  the  kingdom  was  then  divided  according 
to  their  different  views.     The   puritans  were  glad   that 
^'  honest  men  were  not  abhorred  as  they  bad  been  at  court,'^ 
and  the  courtiers  thought  him  now  in  a  fair  way  of  being 
their  own.     All  considered  him  as  a  rising  man,  and  re- 
spected btm  accordingly,'  and  the  benchers  of  Lincoln's- 
Inn,  whose  preacher  he  still  continued,  took  some  credit 
to  themseWes  lor  having  been  the  first  who  eit  pressed  their 
good  opinion  of  him^     Such  indeed  was  his  consequence, 
that  even  the  college  statmes,  which  seemed  an  insupera- 
ble objection  to  bis  holding  both  places^  were  so  inter- 
preted by  the  fellows  as  to  admit  of  bis  repairing  to  Lon- 
don at  the  usual  periods.     He  now  took  his  degree  of  D.  D^ 
The  object  Of  the  courtiers,  we  have  already  observed^ 
was  to  detach  Dr.  Preston  from  the  purittins,  of  which  he 
was  considered  as  the  head.     They  were  therefore  much 
alarmed  on  hearing  that  be  bad  been  offered  the  lecture- 
ship of  Trinity-church  Cambridge,  which  was  in  future  to 
be  dreaded  as  the  head-quarters  of  puritanism.     So  much 
was  it  an  object  to  prevent  this,  that  the  matter  was  seri- 
ously debated  not  only  by  the  duke  of  Buckingham,  but 
by  the  king  hims^^lf ;  but  here  again  their  private  views 
clashed.     The  duke,  although  he  endeavoured  to  dissuade 
Dr.  Preston  from  accepting  this  lectureship,  and  offered 
him^  the  bishopric  of  Gloucester,  then  vacant,  in  its  stead, 
would  not  otherwise  exert  himself  against  the   doctor,   . 


PRESTON.  ?j6? 

bbcaute  be  would  not  lose  hioi ;  while  the  king^  having  no 
other  object  than  wholly  to  detach  him  from  the  puritans, 
sent  bis  secretary  to  inform  him  that  if  he  would  give  up 
this  lecturesl^ip,  any  preferment  whatever  was  at  his  ser-* 
vice.  Dr.  Preston,  ||iowever,  whose  object,  as  his  biogfa« 
pher  says,  ^'  was  to  do  good,  and  not  to  get  good,'*  per- 
sisted, and  was  appointed  lecturer,  and  the  king  could  not 
conceal  his  displeasure  that  Buckingham  still  sided  with 
him. 

I)r.  Preston  happened  to  be  at  Theobalds,  in  attendance 
sfs  chaplain,  when  king. James  died,  and  on  this  inelancboly 
occasion  had  many  interviews  both  with  the  duke  of  Buck- 
ingham, and  the  prince;  and  as  soon  as  the  event  was  an* 
Dounced,  went  to  London  in  the  same  coach  ^ith  his  new 
sovereign  and  the  duke,  and  appeared  to  be  in  high  favour ; 
but  the  duke  was  ultimately  disappointed  in  his  hopes  of 
support  from  Dr.  Preston  and  his  friends.     In  a  public  con- 
ference Dr.  Preston  disputed  against  the  Arminian  doctrines 
in  a  manner  too  decided  to  be  mistaken ;  and  when  on  this 
account  be  found  his  influence  at  court  abate,  he  repaired 
to  his  college,  u^til  Qnding  bis  end  approaching,  he  re- 
moved to  Preston,  near  Hey  ford  in   bi^  native  county, 
where  he  died  in  July  1628,  in  the  forty- first  year  of  his 
age.      His  remain^   were   deposited   in   Fausley   church. 
Fuller,  whp  has  classed  him  ?tmong  tl^e  learned  writers  of 
Clueen's  college,  says,  ^^  he, was  all  judgment  and  gravity, 
and  the  perfect  master  of  his  passions,  an  excellent  preacher, 
a  celebrated  dispjjts^nt,  and  a  perfect  politician.''     Ecb^rd 
styles  him  <'  the  most  celebrated  of  the   puritans,"  and 
copies  the  latter  part  of  what  Fuller  had  said.     He  wrote 
various  pious  tracts,  all  of  which,  with  his  Sermoi^s,  were 
published  after  his  death.     The  uipst  noted  of  these  works 
i^  his  **  Treatise  on  the  Covenant,"  1629,  4to.* 

PRESTON  (Thomas),  an  English  dramatic  writer,  who 
6ourished  in  the  earlier  part  of  queen  Elizabeth's  reign, 
was  first  M.  A.  and  fellow  of  King's  college,  Cambridge, 
and  afterwards  created  a  doctor  of  civil  law,  and  master  of 
Trinity-hall  in  the  same  university,  over  which  be  preside4 
about  fourteen  years,  and  died  in  1598.  In  1564,  when 
qu^en  Eiis^abeth  was  entertained  at  Cambridge,  tins  gen- 
Ueppan  acted  so  admirably  well  in  the  Latin  tragedy  of 

1  Ciark'i    JLW«8. — Neal'n    Puritans.  — Fulier't    Worthies.— -Burnet's    Own 
Times. 


iio  P  R  E  S  t  O  N. 

Dido,  composed  by  John  Ritwise,  one  of  the  fellows  qt 
King's  college,  and  disputed  so  agreeably  before  her  ma-' 
jesty,  that  as  a  testimonial  of  her  approbation,  she  be- 
stowed a  pension  of  twenty  pounds  per  annum  upon  him ; 
nor  was  she  less  pleased  with  him  on  hearing  his  disputa* 
tions  with  Mr.  Cartwright,  and  called  him  *'  her  scholar,'* 
and  gare  him  her  hand  to  kiss.     The  circumstance  of  the 
pension  Mr.  Steevens  supposes  to  have  been  ridiculed  by 
Sfaakspeare  in  the  "  Midsummer  Night's  Dream,"  at  the 
conclusion  of  act  the  fourth.     On  the  6th  of  Sept.  1566, 
when  the  Oxonian  Muses,  in  their  turn,  were  honoured 
with  a  visit  from  their  royal  mistress,  Preston,  with  eight 
more  Cantabrigians,  were  incorporated  masters  of  arts  in 
the  university  of  Oxford.     Mr.  Preston  wrote  one  dramatic 
piece,  in  the  old  metre,  entitled  "  A  Lamentable  Tragedy 
full  of  pleasant  Mirth,  conteyning  the  Life  of  Cambises 
King  of  Percia,  from  the  beginning  of  his  Kingdome  unto 
his  Death,  his  one  good  Deed  of  Execution  after  the  many 
wicked  Deeds  and  tyrannous  Murders  committed  by  and 
through  him,  and  last  of  all,  his  odious  Death  by  God's 
Justice  appointed,    doon   on   such   Order  as   foUowetb.'* 
This  performance  Langbaine  informs  us,  Shakspeare  meant 
to  ridicule,  when,  in  his  play  of  Henry  IV.  part  i.  act  2. 
he  makes  FalstafF  talk  of  speaking  '*  in  king  Cambyses' 
vein."     In  proof  of  which  conjecture,  he  has  given  his 
readers  as  a  quotation  from  the  beginning  of  the  play,  a 
speech  of  king  Cambyses  himself.^ 

PREVOT  d'Exiles  (Antony  Francis),  was  born  at 
Hesdin,  a  small  town  in  the  province  of  Artois,  in  1697. 
He  studied  with  the  Jesuits,  but  soon  relinquished  that 
society  for  the  army,  into  which  he  entered  as  a  volunteer, 
but  being  disappointed  in  his  views  of  promotion,  he  re- 
turned to  the  Jesuits.  Still,  however,  bis  attachment  to 
the  military  service  seems  to  have  been  predominant ;  for 
he  soon  left  the  college  again,  and  a  second  time  be- 
came a  soldier.  As  an  officer  he  acquired  distinction,  and 
some  years  passed  away  in  the  bustle  and  dissipation  of  & 
military  life.  At  length,  the  unhappy  consequence  of  an 
amour  induced  him  to  return  to  France^  and  seek  retire* 
ment  among  the  Benedictines  of  St.  Maur,  in  the  monas* 
tery  of  St.  Germain  des  Pres,  where  he  continued  a  few 

*  Biog.  Dram. -^Har wood's  Alumni  Etonenses.-^Peck^s  D^iderata.^-Coote's 
Catalogue  of  CiviliaDs,  p.  59.— Fuller's  Hist,  of  Cambrislge. 


p  ft  E  V  d  r.  271 

years.  Study,  and  a  monastic  life,  could  not,  hovrever, 
entirely  subdue  bis  passions.  Recollection  of  former  plea- 
sures probably  inspired  a  desire  again  to  enjoy  them  in 
tbe  world.  He  took  occasion,  from  a  triHing  disagreement, 
to  leaVe  tbe  monastery,  to  break  his  vows,  and  renounce 
his  habit.  Having  retired  to  Holland  in  1729,  besought 
resources  in  his  talents,  with  success.  In  the  monastery 
at  St.  Germain,  he  had  written  tbe  two  first  parts  of  his 
**  Memoires  d'un  Homme  de  Quality.**  The  work  was  soon 
finished,  and,  when  it  was  published,  contributed  no  less 
to  his  emolument  than  his  reputation.  A  connexion  which 
he  had  formed  at  tbe  Hague  with  an  agreeable  woman, 
and  which  was  thought  to  have  exceeded  tbe  boundaries 
of  friendship,  furnished  a  subject  of  pleasantry  to  the  abbiS 
Lenglet,  the  Zoilus  of  his  time.  In  his  journal  entitled 
**  Pour  &  Contre,"  Prevot  thus  obviates  the  censure : 
**  This  Medoro,"  says  he,  speaking  of  himself,  **  so  fa- 
voured by  the  fair,  is  a  man  of  thirty-seven  or  thirty-eight 
years,  who  bears  in  his  countenance  and  in  his  humour  the 
traces  of  his  former  chagrin ;  who  passes  whole  weeks 
without  going  out  of  his  closet,  and  who  every  day  em- 
ploys seven  or  eight  hours  in  study ;  who  seldom  seeks  oc- 
casions for  enjoyment,  who  ev6n  rejects  those  that  are 
offered,  and  prefers  an  bourns  conversation  with  a  sensible 
friend,  to  all  those  amusements  which  are  called  pleasures 
of  the  world,  and  agreeable  recreation.  He  is,  indeed, 
civil,  in  consequence  of  a  good  education,  but  little  ad- 
dicted to  gallantry  ;  of  a  mild  but  melancholy  temper ;  in 
fine,  sober,  and  regular  in  his  conduct.*' 

Whether  tbe  accusations  of  his  enemies  were  true  or 
not,  there  were  reasons  which  obliged  him  to  pass  over 
into  England  at  the  end  of  1733,  and  the  lady  followed 
him.  There,  according  to  Palissot,  he  wrote  the  first  vo- 
lumes of  "  Cleveland."  Tbe  first  part  of  his  "  Pour  & 
Contre,"  was  published  this  year,  a  journal  which  brought 
down  upon  him  the  resentment  of  many  authors  whose 
works  be  had  censured.  His  faults  were  canvassed,  and 
perhaps  exaggerated;  all  his  adventures  were  brought 
to  the  public  view,  and  related,  probably,  not  without  much 
misrepresentation.  His  works,  however,  having  established 
his  reputation,  procured  him  protectors  in  France.  He 
solicited  and  obtained  permission  to  return.  Returning  to 
Paris  in  the  autumn  of  1734,  he  assumed  the  habit  of  an 
abb^.     I^alissot  dates  this  period  as  the  epoch  in  which  his 


272  P  R  E  V  O  T. 

literary  .fame  commenced;  but  it  is  certain^  that  three  of 
bis  most  popular  romances  had  been  published  before  that 
time.  He  now  lived  in  tranquillity  under  the  protectibn 
of  the  prince  of  Conti,  who  gave  him  the  title  of  his 
almoner  and  secretary,  with  an  establishment  that  enabled 
him  to  pursue  his  studies.  By  the  desire  of  chancellor 
d^Aguesseau,  be  undertook  a  general  history  of  voyages, 
pf  which  the  first  volume  appeared  in  1745.  The  success 
9f  his  works,  the  favour  of  the  gi^eat,  the  subsiding  of  the 
passions,  a  calm  retreat^  and  literary  leisure,  seemed  to 
promise  a  serene  and  peaceful  old  age.  But  a  dreadful 
accident  put  an  epd  to  this  tranquillity,  and  the  fair  pro- 
spect which  had  opened  before  him  was  closed  by  the  hand 
of  death,  ^o  pass  the  evening  of  his  days  in  peace,  and 
to  finish  in  retirement  three  great  works  which  he  had  un- 
dertaken, he  hud  chosen  and  prepared  an  agreeable  recess 
at  Firmin  near  Chantilly.  Qn  the  23d  of  Nov.  1763,  he 
was  discovered  by  some  peasants  in  an  apoplectic  fit,  in 
the  forest  of  Chantilly.  A  magistrate  was  csdied  in,  who 
unfortunately  ordered  a  surgeon  immediately  to  open  the 
body,  which  was  apparently  dead.  A  loud  shriek  from  the 
victim  of  this  culpable  precipitation,  convinced  the  spec- 
tators of  their  error-  The  instrument  was  withdrawn,  but 
uot  before  it  had  touched  the  vital  parts.  The  unfortunate 
abb6  opened  his  eyes,  and  expired. 

The  following  are  the  works  of  the  abb6  Prev6t :  I.  "  Me- 
moires  d'un  Homme  de  Qualit^j^  qui  s^est  retir6  du  monde,'' 
Q  vols.  12mo.  This  romance  has  been  translated  into 
English  in  2  vols.  12mo,  and  in  3  vols.  12mo,. under  the 
title  of  the  ^*  Memoirs  of  the  marquis  de  Bretagne ;''  to 
which  is  added,  another  romance  of  Prevot's.  See  art^  3. 
J5.  "  Histoire  de  M.  Cleveland,  fils  naturel  de  Cromwell,'* 
1732,  6  vols.  12mo;  an  English  translation  al>o,  5  vols. 
12mo.  3.  ^^  Histoire  du  Chevalier  des  Grieux,  &  de  Ma* 
non  Lescaut,''  1733,  12mo.  An  English  translation  of  this 
romance  has  been  published  separately,  and  is  also  affixed 
to  the  translation  of  art.  1 .  in  3  vols.  4.  "  Pour  &  Centre,** 
a  literary  journal,  1733,  and  continued  in  the  following 
years,  20  vols.  12mo.  5.  ^^  The  first  volume  of  a  transla* 
tion  of  Thuanus,"  1733,  4tp.  6.  "  A  translation  of  Dry- 
den's  play.  All  for  Love,**  1735.  7.  •*  Le  Doyen  de  KiU 
lerine,"  1735,  6  vols.  12mo,  translated  into  English,  3  vols, 
12mo,  under  the  title  of  "  The  Dean  of  Coleraine.**  8. 
**  History  of  Margaret  of  Anjou,".  1740,  2  vols,    12mo^ 


PREiVOT.  273 

translated  idlo  Engfiah^.S  Voluhies  iSmo.  9.  **  Histdim 
d'uoe  Griecqu^  ModemfiyV  174I»  2Lval8..12ino9  trandated 
into  Englisb,  I  vot.:i2mo.  10.  ^^  Campagties  Philosophi- 
ques^  ou  Meriioires  d^  M*  de  Montcaloi/*  1741,  2  vols. 
*12it)o,  part  history,  aod  part  fiodon.  11.  '^  Memoires  pour 
3ecvir  a  Histoire  de  Makbe/'  1742,  12nio.  12.  ^<  Histoire 
.de  Guillaume  le.  Conquerant  Roi  d^Angleterre,"  1742, 
12010.  13.  "  Voyages  du  Captaine  R.  Lade,"  1744,  2  vols. 
J2mo.  14.  ^^  A  translation  of  Cicero's  Letters  to  Brutns,^' 
with  notes,.  17;44,  l2mo',  and  a  translation  of  his  Familiar 
Letters,  1746,  ,5i  vols.  12aio^  15.  <VA  translation  of  Mid^ 
dleton's  Life  i>f  Cicero,''  1743,  ,4vol&  12mo.  16.  "  Me- 
moires d'no  honnete  homme,*'  17451  17.  ^<  Histoife  ge^ 
ttecale  des  Voyages,"  1745,  &o.  16  vols.  4to,  and  64  vols. 
<I2aio.  La  Harpe  has  abridged  this  compilation  in  2 1  vols. 
Jivo}  he  has  also,  added.  Cook's  Vojrages.  18.  A  Die- 
tionary  of  the  Frendh  language,  17dl,  ^vo,  and  a  new 
iedition,  2  vols.  8vo.  19  and  20.  ^^  Clarissa  Harlowe," 
1751,  12  parts;  and,  ^' Sir  Charles  Grandison,"  Sparts, 
1755  ;  both  translated  froin  Richardson. .  21.  ^^  Le  Monde 
Moral,",  i  760, 4  vols.  ISmo.  22.  **  A  tratislation  of  Hume's 
history  of.the .Stuarts^"  :1760,  3  Vols.  4to,  and  6  vols.  12mQ. 
23.  "Mfemoires  pour  servir  a  la  Histoire  de  la  Verto,'* 
1762,4  vols.  12iiiOy  translated  from  the  English.  24. 
^.Aimoran  and  Hamet,"  translated  fronir  Hawkesivortir^ 
1762,  2  vols.  12mo.r "  And,^5.  A  posthuoiouis  translation 
£kom  the  English,  entitled  ^^  Letters  de  Mentor,  a  une 
Jeune  Seigneur,' ■  il  7^4,.  12010.^ 

PRICE  (John),  in  Lathi  Pricau&j  a  learned  writei^ 
arigioaUy.of  a  WeUh  family^  was  bom  in  1600;a^  London. 
He:,  was  brought  up  at  Westoainster-school,  whence  ia 
1617  he  wasdlepted  to  Christ^churcb,  Oxford.  He  mad^ 
great  proficiency  in  learning,*  and  was  esteemed^  one  of  the 
ableist  critiea  a^  his  day,  but  espoused  the  Roman  catholic 
religton  which  €or  some  time  he  appears  to  have  concealed;. 
On  leaving  eoUege^be  was  enter,tained  in  the  £arl  of  Arun- 
del's family,;  with*  whiich  he  travelled  into  Italy,  and  there 
was  made  doctor  4)fl  laws^  On  his  return  to  England,  he 
became  acquainted  with  the  earl  of  Strafford,  who  being 
pleased  with  his  talents  and  learning,  took  him  with  him  to 
Ireland,  where  be  likewise  became  acquainted  with  arch^ 
tbisbop  Usher,  and  was  one  of  his  correspondents,  their 

1  NecTologle  d^  Hommes  Celebres  pour  aonee  1764.'^P(ct.  Hist 

Vol.  XXV.  T 


274  PRICE, 

biblical  studies  forming  a  bond  of  onion.  When  his  noble 
patron  was  prosecuted,  J)r.  Price  shared  in  his  misfortuDett^ 
and  returned  to  England  in  1640.  During  the  rebellion 
be  endeavoured  to  support  the  royal  cause  by  his  pen,  and 
wrote  several  pamphlets,  for  which  he  was  imprisoned  for 
a  considerable  time.  After  his  release  he  went  abroad,  and 
took  up  his  residence  in  Florence,  where  the  grand  duke 
jnade  him  superintendant  of  his  museum^  which  was  then 
one  of  the  finest  in  Europe.  By  the  interest  of  this  prince^ 
he  was  appointed  Greek  professor  at  Pisa,  and  filled  that 
office  with  great  reputation.  Besigning  it,  however,  pro- 
bably owing  to  bad  health,  he  went  to  Venice,  with  a  view 
to  publish  Hesychius*s  Lexicon,  but  not  succeeding  in  the 
design,  he  went  to  Rome,  and  was  entertained  by  cardinal 
Francis  Barberini.  When  advanced  in  years,  he  retired  to 
St.  Augustine^s  convent  at  Rome,  where  he  died  in  1676, 
aged  seventy-six.  His  works  are :  1.  '^  Notse  et  observa*- 
tidnes  in  apologiam  L.  Apuleii  Madaurensis,  philosopU 
Platoniciy*'  Paris,  1635,  4to.  These  are  to  be  f4>uiid  in 
the  Gouda  edition  of  Apuleius,  1650,  8vo,  but  the  original 
is  very  scarce.  .  2.  *^  Matthsus,  ex  sacra  pagina,  Sanctis 
patribus,  &c.  illustratus,''  Paris,  1646,  8vo.  3.  *^  Anno- 
tationes  in  epist.  Jacobi,''  Paris,  1646,  8vo.  4.  '^Acta 
Apostolorum,  ex  sacra  pagina,  Sanctis  patribus,  &c.  illus- 
trata,"  Paris,  1647,  Svo.  5.  **  Index  Scriptorum,  qui  in 
Hesychii  Graeco  vocabulario  laudantur,.  confectus.et  alpha- 
betico  ordine  dispositus,''  1668.  See  Schrevdius's  Lexicon 
at  the  end.  6.  *^  Comment,  in  varios  Novi  Test,  libros,'* 
inserted  in  the  5th  vol.  of  the  '*  Critici  Sacri.'^  Dr.  Price  is 
praised  by  Sarravius,  in  his  letters ;  by  archbishop  Usher 
.on  St.  Ignatius's  epistles;  by  Heinsius,  in  an  epistle  to 
Carlo  Dati;  by  Leiden  more  than  once,  in  the  aecond 
book  ^^  de  Synedriis  Ebrseorum ;''  by  Vossius,  in  his  <<  Har- 
mon ia  Evangelica ;''  by  Moras,  in  hb  liotes  oa  the 'New 
Testament ;  by  Redi,  in  his  treatise  on  the  Generation  of 
Insects ;  but  especially  by  Axenius  on  Pheedrus.  ^    . 

PRICE  (RiCHARD)9^an  eminent  (Assenting  minister  and 
political  writer,  was  born  Feb.  .23,  1723,  at  Tynton,  in 
the  parish  of  Langeinor,  in  Glamorganshire.  His  father, 
iwho  was  many  years  minister  of  a  dissenting  congregatioo 
at  Bridgend  in  the  same  county,  intended  him  for  trade, 

I  Ath.  Ox.  vol.  II.— Geo.  Diet — Dodd'f  Qh.  Hist.  toU  lU.— Uihw'i  Ljf*  ani 
U\XM,  p.  5Q6,  595,  59G. 


P  R  I  C  E.  275 

b«t  gave  him  a  good  education,  in  the  course  of  which, 
kewever,  he  became  dissatisfied  with  bis  son's  departure 
from  bis  own  views  of  religion,  which  were  Calvinistic.  He 
died  in  1739,  while  his  son  was  a  scholar  at  a  seminpy  at 
Talgavtb,  and  a  scholar  of  more  than  ordinary  thinking. 
In  1740  we  are  told. that  be  first  engaged  in  studying  But- 
ler's '^  Analogy,''  a  work  which  never  erased  to  be  the  sub- 
ject of  his  praise  and  admiration.  In  his  eighteenth  year, 
by  the  advice  of  his  paternal  uncle,  the  rev,  Samuel  Price, 
vAko  officiated  as  co-pastor  with  the  celebrated  Dr.  Watts, 
be  was  removed  to  a  dissenting  academy  in  London, 
founded. by  Mr.  Coward,  and  of  which  Mr.  Eames  was  at 
that  time  the  principal  tutor,  where  he  devoted  his  whole 
time  with  ^^ardour  and  delight"  as  be  used  to^  say,  to  the 
study  of  mathematics,  philosophy,  and  theology.  On 
completing  his  course  of  education,  he  was  removed,  by 
the  recommendation  of  his  uncle^  to  Stoke  Newington,  and 
resided  there  fornear  thirteen  years,  in  the  family  of  a  Mr. 
Sireatiield,  as  his  chaplain  and  companion. 

While  in  this  place,  he  occasioniiliy  officiated  in  different 
congregations,    particularly   at    Dr.  Chandler's   meeting- 
house in  the  Old  Jewry,  where  he  seemed  to  acquire  con- 
siderahlov  popularity;  but   Dr.  Chandler  having  advised 
him  to  be  less  energetic  in  bis  manner,  and  to  deliver  his 
discourses  with  more  diffidence  and  modesty,  Mr.  Price 
ran  into  the  opposite  extreme  of  a  cold  and  lifeless  delivery, 
which  naturally  injured  his  popularity.     During  the  latter 
end  of  his  residence  at  Mr.  Streatfield's,  he  officiated  prin- 
cipally at  £dmonton,  till   he  was  chosen  to  be  morning 
preacher  at  Newington  Green.  By  the  death  of  Mr.  Streat- 
£eld>.and  also  of  his. uncle,  which  happened  in^  1756,  his  cir- 
cumstances were  considerably  improved;  the  former  having 
.bequeathed  him  a  legacy  in  money,  and  the  latter  a  house 
•in  Leadenhall-street,  and  some  other  property,  but  not  so 
much  ajs  it  was  supposed  h^  would  have  left  him,  if  he  had 
not  offended  him,  as  he  had  done  his  father,  by  the  freedom 
of  bis  sentiments  on  certain  religious  doctrines,  particularly 
that  of  the  Trinity.     In  1757  he  married  Miss  Sarah  Blun- 
<dejl,  and  in  1758  removed  to  Newington  Green,  in  order  to 
be  near  his  congregation.     Previous  tq  his  leaving  Hackney 
.he  published  his  *<  Review  of  the  principal  questions  and 
difficulties  in  Mixrals,"  of  which  he  revised  a  third  edition 
(0r  the  press  in  1787.    This  gave  him  considerable  reputa« 
;lipn  as  a  mejtapbysiciaa. 

T  2  ^ 


n^  E  R  I  iC  E.: 

During  t|ie:.€i«t -years  .of  bis  Iresideiice  aA  Nefrifigtoaf 
Green,  he  devoted  binEi^etf  aknost  wholly  to  the  eompontiott 
of  sermons,  apd  to  his  pastoral  duties ;  but  in  .1762,  as  hia 
bearers  were  few,  he  was:  induced,  £1*0111  the  .hope  of  being 
more  extensively  useful,  to  accept  ao  invitation  to  saoeeed 
Dr.  Benson*^ as  evening   preacher    in    Poor  Jewry 4aiie* 
Even  bere>  however,  he  acquired  lio  additional  number  of 
hearers,  which  discouraged  him.  so  niucfa^.  tJikat  he  had  de- 
termined to  give  up  preaching  altogether,  from  an  idea 
that  his.  talents  were  totally  .unfit  £ar  the  offioeof.  a  public 
speaker.    .Regarding,  himself  thereSore,  aa  incapable  ■of 
giving  effect  to  bis  moral  infatrncdous  by  deliveriog  ^em 
from  the  pulpit,  he  consoled  himself  with  the  hope  of  fen4> 
dering  them  «usefal.to  the  wcorld  by  coaveyiog  them  in  ano^ 
ther  manner.    With  this  view  he  formed  the  sermons  whidl 
be  bad  preached  on  private  prayer  into  a  dissertation  00 
that  subject^  which  he  pi^bliabed  in.17.67,  ailong  viih  tiivee 
other  *^  Dissertatioiis,^  on  providence,,  mirades^  labd  the 
junction  of  virtuous  men  ki  afutiniestate. .  These. dissert 
tations  procured  him  the  lacquaiotance  of  the.  iirst;marquis 
of  LansdovHie,  then  eatl  of  Sbelburne,  which  beg«ui- ift 
17611^,  and  contiiiued  for  some  time  before  Mr«.  iPrice  had 
iever  written  on  political  subjlects ;  but  was  probably  more 
firmly  estabUsfaed  in  consequence  of  those  publications^    . 
Having  .officiated  near  foiirteen  years -at  Newnigtoft 
Green  without  kay  hope  of  ever:  becoming,  ektensively 
useful  in  that  situation,  be  was  the  more  easily  induced  to 
acce[it  an  invitdtiob  to  succeed  Mr.  Law,    as   morwiog 
preacher  at  the  Gravel-Pit  meeting-house  in  Hackney,  but 
^consented  to  officiate  as  afternoon  preacher  at  Newingtop 
Green,  and  in  consequence  resigned  that  service  at. Booir 
Jewry ^lane.    Although  his  audience  at  Hackney^ waa  nroch 
more  numerous  than  in  eitfayer  of  the  above  places,  yet 
during  the  first  four  or  five  years  q£  bis  miuistry,  it  in* 
creased  very  slowly ;  "  and,"  says  bis  biographer,  ••^ -it-  is 
probable  that  neither  the  excellence  of  his  di^courses^  nor 
the  impressive  manner  in  which ihey  were  delivered,  would 
have  made  any  great  addition  to  bis  hearers,- had  not  other 
causes  of  a  very  different  nature  concurred  to  render  him 
popular." 

Mr.  Price  hacf  hitherto  confined  his  studies  almost  exclo* 
sively  to  moral  and  religious  subjects,  and  had  long  const** 
dered  his  profession  as  excluding  him  from  taking  any  part 
in  the  temporal  affairs  of  this  world ;  but  (tpm  this  opinion 


PRICK.  277 

km  tiowrbegan.  gnidtMilty  to  depart^  aiidofirit'beBtow<0d.  t 
•bare  of  hi^  attebtioh  on  philosop^ical'stodies^  which  pro^ 
duced  many,  valuable-  paperg  insertad  in  the^^vpfailosopfaioal 
Trahaaedons^  of  the  Royal  Society  of  LondooH^  of:  which  fa^ 
had  been  ohosen  a  fellow  in  1165.  So  imeat^was  hisniind 
in  oae  of  bn:ioTe8tigation8,  that  we  are  told|,  the  colour  of 
his  .faair^  whicH  was  nkturaldy  blade,  became  ctuinged  in 
different.pairts  of  his  bead  into  spots  of  perfect  white.  In 
1769  he  pabUehed  his  valuable  ^^  Treatise  on  Reyerstonary 
Payments/'  wbicb  contained^  among  vl  varidty  of  olbet 
matters^  tbesolation  of  many  quest'ioas  in  the  doctrine  of 
annuities  ;.  schemes  for  establishing  societies  for  the  benefit 
6f  i|ige  and. widows! on  jost  principles;  ahd  am  exposure  of 
the  inadequacy  of  the  societies  of  this 'kind -which  Were 
caotinoaUy  .forining  in  Loiidon  and  otbep  pans  of  the  kitig* 
dom. ,  Altogether  this  was  perhaps  his  most  usefdl  perform* 
ance.  About  the  end  of  1769^,  the  univepsity  of  Glasgow^ 
conferred  on  him  the  degree  of  doctor  of'  divinity^  i  without 
any: solicitation  or  knowledge  on  his  own  part,  >but,  as  his 
biogcaph^  candidly  acknowledges,  in  consequence  of  th^ 
appJicatioa  of  some  erf  bis  clerical  friends  inf  London,  who 
paid  the  usual  fees,  and  left.him  to  suppo^*tha(t  the  honour 
was  entirely  gratuitous*  ' 

This  work  was  followed  in  1772  by  his  ^^  Appeal  to  the 
public  on  the  National  Debt,^^  the  principal  object  of  ^ 
wbicb  was  to  restore  the  sinking  fund  which  had  been  ex- 
tinguished in  1733:;  and  although  the  proposition  then  met 
with  much  opposition^  una  have  lived  to  see  it  adopted-by 
parliament,  and  become  one  of  the  chief  bulwarks^  of  our 
pabliq  credit..  We  have  also  lived  to  see  thst^the  vieiy  be 
took  of  public  affairs,^  and  his  dread  of  a  lessened  popular 
tion,:  which  he  represented  in  the  mos£  gloomy  colours^ 
were  not  founded  on  facts^rnor<haTe  bee^  confirmed  by  ex* 
perlehce.  The  ^^mov opinions, >  with  others  of  a  more  ge- 
neral kind,  led'  bias  td  oppdse  the  measures  which  ended 
io  a  war  with  Ameirica.  ^  Ivk  1775  he  published  <^  CM>sefva<^ 
tioixs 'oti  dvil  Libortyiand  thc^  Justice  and  Policy  of  the 
War  .with 'America,^*  wbieb^  was  followed,  in  the  same  spi^ 
idt^  in  1777,  byanotber  pamphlet  entitled  <<  Observations 
osi  the  Nature  of  Civil  Government."  The  principles  of 
botbtheke  works  encountered' a- variety  of  opinions,  being 
both  extvavagantly  praised  and  censored  :  by  some  esteemed 
widiout  faolt;- while  by  others;  they  ar&  deemed  vitsionary  > 
diimerical,  mischievous  io  their  theory,  and  tendif\g 


'278  PRICE 

in  their  effect  to  the  unhingiDg  of  all  governmeht  Thai 
their  influence  was  very  great,  cannot  be  denied ;  but  that 
their  author  was  firmly  persuaded  of  their  usefulness,  seeing 
to  be  generally  believed  by  those  who  have  had  the  best 
opportunities  of  knowing  his  sentiments.  For  writing  this 
last  pamphlet,  he  bad  the  honour  to  receive  the  thanks  of 
the  Court  of  common-rcouncil  the  14th  of  March,  1776,  a^ 
having  laid  down  those  principles  upon  which  alone  the  su«- 
preme  legislative  authority  of  Great  Britain  over  her  Colo- 
nies could  be  justly  or  beneficially  maintained;  and ^ for 
holding  forth  those  public  objects  without  which  it  must  be 
to'tally  indifferent  to  the  kingdom  who  were  in  or  who  were 
out  of  power.  At  the  same  time  he  also  received  a  gold 
box  of  the  value  of  fifty  pounds. 

With  these  two  pamphlets  he  had  determined  to  take  no 
further  part  in  the  political  contentions  of  that  period  ;  but, 
bis  biographer  observes,  he  certainly  mistook  the  disposi* 
tion  of  his  own  mind.  Whenever  therefore  government 
appointed  a  fast,  he  considered  it  more  as  a  political  than 
.  a  religious  ordinance,  and  always  took  an  opportunity 
on  that  day,  to  deliver  his  sentiments  on  the  conduct  of 
the  war,  and  on  the  evil  consequences  which  were  likely  to 
result  from  it.  This  insured  him  at  least  one  overflowing 
congregation  in  the  year,  for  curiosity  brought  foes  as  well 
as  friends  to  hear  him  on  such  occasions.  But  of  all  those 
discourses,  he  only  published  two  which  he  delivered  on 
the  fast  days  in  1779  and  1781.  So  many  exertions  in  be-? 
half  of  America  procured  him  an  invitation  from  the  con- 
gress to  ^^  come  and  reside  among  a  people  who  knew  how^ 
to  appreciate  his  talents,'^  but  this  he  thought  proper  to 
decline.  In  1779  he  published  an  ^*  Essay  on  the  popula- 
^ion  of  England,'*  which,  being  founded  on  incorrect  in- 
formation, was  in  proportion  incorrect  in  its  conclusions. 

But  finances  and  politics  were  not  the  only  subjects 
which  at  this  period  engaged  Dr.  Price's  time  and  atten- 
tion. In  consequence  of '  Dr.  Priestley's  disquisitions  on 
matter  and  spirit,  which  had  been  just  published,  he  was 
led  to  make  some  observations  on  those  parts  which  did 
not  accord  with  his  own  sentiments.  This  produced  an 
amicable  correspondence  between  them,  published  under 
the  title  of  "  A  free  discussion  of  the  Doctrines  of  Mate- 
rialism and  Philosophical  Necessity."  About  the  same 
4  time  he  addressed  some  important  observations  to  the 
<'  Society  for  Equitable  Assurances/'  in  an  introduction:  to 


PRICE.  97» 

«^ork.by  his  nephew,  Mr.  Morgan,  on  '^Tbe  Doctrine  of 
Aaoodties."    The  value  of  his  and  his  nephew's  services  to 
that.society  is  universally  acknowledged. 
.   WbeQ,  after  the  war  ended,  lord  Shelburne  came  into 
admioistaration,  in  consequence  of  the  death  of  the  marquis^ 
of  Rockioghain,  his  lordship  very,  gravely  offered  Dr.  Price 
the  place  of  private  secretary;  but,  his  biographer  adds,. 
<^  his  lordship  surely  could  not  be  in  earnest  in  making 
8,uch  an  offer.     It  was  no  doubt  meant  as  a  compliment^, 
and  the  simplicity  of  Dr.  Price  considered  it  in  that  light| 
though,  as  a  friend  observed,  the  minister  might,  a^  well 
have  proposed  to  make  him  master  of  the  horse.'*  ,  During 
the  time,  however,  that  lord  Shelburne  was  in  office,  he 
sought  the  assistance  of  Dr.  Price  in  forming  a  scheme  for 
paying  off  the  national  debt,  and  moved  an  introductory 
resolution  on  that  subject  in  the  House  of  Lords ;  but,  upoa 
his  leaving  administration,  the  scheme  was  abandoned.    It 
was,  however,  communicated  to  the  public  by  Dr  Price  in 
a  treatise,  entitled  <*  The  State  of  the  public  Debts  and 
Finances,  at  signing  the  preliminary  Articles  of  Peace  in 
January  1783  ;  with  a  plan  for  raising  Money  by  public 
Loans,  and  for  redeeming  the  public  Debts.''     After  tbis^ 
when  Mr.  Pitt  determined  to  introduce  a  bill  into  parlia- 
ment for  liquidating  the  national  debt,  he  applied  to  Dr. 
Price  for  his  advice  on  the  subject,  and  received  from  him 
three  separate  plans ;  one  of  which  now  forms  the  founda- 
tion of  that  act  for  reducing  the  public  debt,  which  was 
established  in  1786,  and  has  contributed,  more  than  any 
other,  or  all  other  measures,  to  raise  the  credit  of  his  ad- 
ministration.   The  friends  of  Dr.  Price,   however,  offer 
two  objections  on  this  subject ;  the  one  that  the  plan  Mr. 
Pitt  adopted  was  the  least  efficient  of  the  three ;  the  other, 
that  he  did  not  publicly  acknowledge  his  obligations  to  Dr. 
Price. 

In  1784  Dr,  Price  published  ^^Observations  on  the  Im- 
portance of  the  American  Resolution,  and  the  Means  of 
inaking  it  useful  to  the  World;"  to  which  are  added  a 
letter  from  M.  Turgot,  and  the  last  will  of  M.  Fortune 
!Ricard,  which  exhibits  an  amusing,  and  rather  humorous 
application  of  Dr.  Price's  account  of  tbje  powers  of  com- 
pound interest,  and  the  uses  to  which  it  may  be  applied 
for  the  benefit  of  mankind.  In  1786  he  published  a  vo- 
lume of  sermons,  partly  on  practical,  and  partly  on  doc- 
^inal  subjects :  iu  the  latter  he  states,  and  defends  with 


280  P  R  I  e.E/ 


aiMmation  and  eeStl,  the  Arian  bypokberisy  to  wKick^  li# 
biaiself  ivas  attach^d^  against  Tiinttanans'OQtbef'oiie  faodd^ 
and  modern  Unitarians  on  the  other.  He  always  £elt  falirty 
we  are  told,  at  the  conduct  of  Dr.  Priestley  and  Mr..  Liad- 
•ay^  in  assuming  to  themselves  and  their  sect  exciustrelyy 
the  appellatidn  of.  UnitarumSj  which  •  belongs  equally  to 
J^ws  and  Mabomietansy  and  in  treating  with  so 'much  con-« 
tlimely  the  opinions  of  those  who  differed  from  them.  As 
to  'ttie  practical  sermons  in  this  volume,  they  wei«  T&ty 
generally  approved.  The  subjects  are,  die  security  and  bap* 
pines^  of  a  virtuous  coarse,  the  goodness  of  Gody  and  the 
Resurrection  of  Lazarus. 

'  The  other  publications  of  Dr.  Prioe^  which  chiefly  at^ 
tiracted  notice^  were,  a  Sermon  on  ^'  The  Evidence  of  a 
future  period  of  Improvement  in  the  State  of  Mankind^ 
#itb  the  means  and  duty  of  prompting  it,  delivered  to  thd 
supporters  of  the  new  Academical  Institution  among  Protes-* 
tant  Dissenters,^'  in  1787 ;  and'  his  /<<  Dfsoburse  on  the 
Love  of  our  Country,''  preached  the'  4tb  of  Novenfbery 
1789,  before  the  society  for  commemorating  the  revolution 
6f  1688  in  Great  Britain.  In  this  last  discourse  Dr.  Price 
displayed  his  accustomed  zeal  for  the  great  prificiples  of 
civil  and  religious  liberty }  and  towards  the  concludon  of  it^ 
be  adverted  with  triumph  to  the  revolution  in  France^ 
which  be  thought  the4)eginning  of  a  new  s&ra  of  happiness 
to  the  world.  How  much  he  was  deceived  in  this,  need 
not  be  told  ;  nor  the  consequence  of  bis  sermon,  in  pro^^ 
ducing  the  memorable  controversy  in  which"  M¥.  Burke  took 
the  lead  *.  - 

Dr.  Price  was  now  drawing  haHtity  to  bis  end.  He  had  in 
17{)6  lost  bis  lady,  and  in  February  1791  be  Was  seiaed 
with  a  fevier,  the  effects  of  a  severe'  cold,  caught  white 
attending  the  funeral  of  a  friend;  from  tlie^effecti^  of  idiis 
be  was  gradually  recovering,  whei^  be  was  attacked  with  a 

*  To  read   any  of  the  iDvectiyet  presses  himself  io  terns  of  oontempt 

against  Mr.  ^urke,  one  woidd  suppose  in  regard  to  the  French  revolution  j 

he  was  the  only  human  behif  who '  and  after  a!^iilg  rather  too  severely 

look^  witli  an  evil  eye  on  the  f  revcli  wbat  good  vjis  to  be.  eapeeM  from  a 

Kevolution.    But  Dr.  Price's  biogra-  nation  of  atheists,  be  -conclude  with 

pber  has  fonnd  aooCher  amdng  Br.  foretelling  the  destroetion  of 'a  million 

Price's  intimate  correspondents,    and  of  human  beings  as  a  probable  oon^ 

no  less  a  personage  ttian  John  Ac^ms,  sequence  of  it.    Such  a  letter,  in  out 

the.  late  Amcfictfn  apbaisador.     In  opinion,  oatweighs'an  hundred  of  those 

a  long  letter  Mift^fa  he  witote  to  Dr.  which  Dr.  Price'  received  'at  'this  time 

Price  at  fhi&tins^  a»  Ut  from  congra-  from  his  «i/tg4iA«i^  friends'  io  Ftnooe* 
tulatinghioi'dttktiie  occasion,  he  ex- 


I 
.    I 

I 


P  R  I  C  E.  .t«l 

9e9er^  ^vA  yety  pwifiil  disorder, .  by  wbi&h;  he'  bad  been 
]D«Qy  y«a»  tbr^f^le^ed.    Ifbis  be  .bore  with  f<)rtitud<f  md 
r«jBijgn|ttiioi|/  ibouigh  .QCcasiooaUy  Ms  .apirits  and  stiehgth 
w^re  .entirely- ejLhainpted  by  tb^  ngoqiea  wbtah  be  endured. 
He  died  oq  the  aineteeDtb  of  Marcb^  17 9 1;  ia  the  l^i^ty** 
eighth  y$i^  of  bUk%set  and  wa^  interred  im .  B^llhiU^ fields 
burying^groundy  the  fuoetal  being  ftiU^wed  by  a^  great 
pp^cpurise  i^  hto.  fciendd  and  adOGtirers,  to  whoim/  he  bad 
Img  been  endeared  by. /hi$  priva^ie  as  well  as  public:  c^arac^ 
ter.  •  Jfi^  Qkai¥>ersi  wersei  pilQidiarly  amiable,  and  whoever 
was  M«aittedtOthis{$4Hiv^9alionj  or  even  peiHiaed.  his  work9| 
fM>uld  not  avoid  hQirtg:.9tr.iiu;k'  by  contrasting,  hie  mitd  and 
placid,  teoqper  wiitb:thati  of  iuhmo  of  khe  cootrovefsi^  wi^iters 
iritb'Wbom  he.  gjen^r^ily  corop^rated.  .  He  waa  for  manjr 
years  one  of  the  ti^u^teea  v»  the  es4;ates  of  the*  l^e  Or. 
Daniel  WilUaoBA^r  whach'  is  the  ralost  important  concern  be- 
longing; to  the  Xondoja  Dissenters^    During  the  applida<* 
^OBs  <>f  the  dis^entiag.nuuistier^  to  parliament,  from  1773 
to  1779,  for  relief  from  subscription  to  the  articles  of;the 
«h)icch  9^  England,  required  by. the  act  of  Toleration,  he 
WM  cboseo  one  of  tb^  conupittee  appoint^  to  concert  and 
pursue. the  necessary  ( measures  for  obtaining  that  object^ 
but  wkiep  he  fonnd  tb^M  could  not  be  obtained  withouLa 
decoration,  of  faith. in.  th^  Holy  3criptqres,  wbich  he  con<4 
tended. the.  Qivi)  raa^tratje  had  no  right. to  demand,  he 
divide  with  a  small  Qiinority  of  .bis.  brethren  against  the 
rest  pf/tb^  fx^inniittee,  i^i^ng  an  enlargement  of  religious 
liberty  on.  terms  whi^by  ^cording  to  their  views  of  things^ 
and  according,  to  tb0  trut^^prinpiples.  of  di^ent,  implied 
•nhmiesieatotithe  anth<Nrity  of  the  civil  magistrate  in  mat*, 
tersf of  iotiscienoe,  to  wbpm^  in  n^jatters  of  this  kind,  they 
^^ed  1^  obedienQe  whatetver.    In  1783  the  degree  of  LL.  IX 
m0M  oOnferred  upon  him  by  Yale  college,  in  Connecttcvt^ 
Md  he  waa  afterwards  eleoted  a  fellow,  of  tbe  American 
Philoaopfaical  SoQieties  .a)t  Philadelphia  aohl  Boston*    la 
17869  ivhen.si  new  academical  institution  among  the  disf 
jsentecs  wa9  established  at  Hackney,  Dr.  Price  was  apv 
pointed  tutor  in  the  higher  branches. of  the  m^heniatics  ; 
but  soon  foundhiikiself  incapable  of  attending  to  the  dntiet 
of  ilbi9  office,  and  therefore  resigned  it  the  second  year. 
He  approved  the  pian,  however^  and^  says  bis  biographer, 
^^  from  tbe  circumstance  of  bb  having  bequeathed  a  small 
legacy  towards  its  scipport,  died  inconscious  of  tbe  igno^ 
ranee  and  folly  which  were  accelerating  its  destruction,"^^* 


2B%  PRICE. 

Among  Dr.  Price's  numerous  correspondents  were,  the 
marquis  of  Lansdowne,  the  earls  Chatham  and  Stanhope  ; 
the  bishops  of  Carlisle,  St.  Asaph,  and  LlandafF;  Mr.  Harris, 
the  author  of  Philosophical  Arrangements,  &c. ;  Mr.  How* 
ard,  Dr.  Franklin,  the  duke  de  Koehefoucault,  the  ceie«> 
brated  Turgot,  and  several  of  the  most  distinguished  mem- 
bers of  the  first  national  assembly* 

The  value  of  the  political  and  religious  works  of  Dr* 
Price,  says  our  predecessor  in  this  work,  men  will  estimate 
differently,  as  they  happen  to  be  infected  or  not  by  thtfM 
principles,  which,  by  exaggerating  the  true  and  excellent 
doctrines  of  liberty,  have  proved^  in  the  present  age,  ther 
bane  of  Christianity,  and  the  scourge  of  human  nature.  Thai 
he  was  sincere  and  well-intentioned  in  bis  adoption  and 
recommendation  of  them,  there  is  not  any  reason  to  doubt; 
As  a  calculator  on  political  questions,  when  he  did  not 
take  up  his  data  from  partial  documents,  which  flattered 
his  preconceived  opinions,  he  was  acute,  jMrolbund,  an4 
able.' 

PRICE  (Robert),  an  eminent  lawyer  and  judge,- was  the 
fton  of  Thomas  Price,  esq.  of  Geeler  in  Denbighshire,  and 
born  in  the  parish  of  Kerigy  Dniidion,  Jan.  14,  1653.  After 
an  education  at  the  grammar-school  of  Wrexham,  he  was 
admitted  of  St.  John^s  college,  Cambridge ;  but,  as  usual 
with  gentlemen  destined  for  his  profession,  left  the  uni-^ 
versity  without  taking  a  degree,  and  entered  himself  a 
student  of  Lincoln's  Inn  about  1673.  In  1677  be  made 
what  was  called  the  grand  tour,  in  company  with  the  earl 
of  Lexington,  and  lady  and  sir  John  Meers.  When  at 
Florence,  we  are  told  that  he  was  apprehended,  and  some 
law-books  taken  from  him;  and  his  copy  of  Coke  upon 
Littleton''  being  supposed,  by  some  ignorant  officer,  to  be 
an  English  heretical  Bible,  Mr.  Price  was  carried  before 
the  pope ;  where  he  not  only  satisfied  his  holiness  as  to  this 
work,  but  made  him  a  present  of  it,  and  the  pope  ordered 
it  to  be  deposited  in  the  Vatican  library.  In  1679  he  re- 
turned, and  married  a  lady  of  fortune ;  from  whom,  after 
some  years'  cohabitation,  he  found  it  necessary  to  be  se* 
parated,  on  account  of  the  violence  of  her  temper.  In 
1682  he  was  chosen  member  of  parliament  for  Weobly  in 
Herefordshire,  and  gave  his  vote  against  the  bill  of  exdu- 

1  Principally  from  "MemMrs  of  bi«  Life^»   by  Waiiam  Morgan,  F.R.S 
1815,  8vo. 


PRICE.  383 

Bion.  The  same  year  he  was  made  attoniey-general  for 
South  Wa1^»  elected  an  alderman  for  the  city  of.  Here- 
ford)  and  the  year  following  was  chosen  recorder  of  Rad- 
jaor.  His  high  reputation  for  knowledge  and  integrity 
procured  him  the  <^ffice  of  steward  to  the  queen  dowager 
(relict  of  Charles. II.)  in  1684;  he  was  also  chosen  towo« 
clerk  of  the  city  of  Gloucester;  and,  in  1686,  king^s 
counsel  at  Ludlow.  Being  supposed  to  have  a  leaning 
towards  the  exiled  family,  he  was,  after  the  revolution,^ 
removed  from,  the  offices  of  attorney*general  for  South 
Wales  and  town*clerk  of  Gloucester.  In  resentment  for 
this  affront,  as  his  biographer  insinuates,  or  from  a  more 
patriotic  motive,  he  opposed  king  William's  grant  of  certain 
lands  in  Wales  to  his  favourite,  earl  of  Portland,  and  made 
^  memorable  speech  on  .this  occasion  in  the  House  of  Com-^ 
mons ;  the  consequence '  of  wbidh  was,  that  the  grant  was 
rejected. 

(Although  it  might  have  been  expected  that  king  WiU 
Ham  would  have,  in  his  turn,  resented  this  conduct  o£ 
Mr.  Price,  yet  he  appears  not  only  to  have  acquiesced  in 
the  decision  of  parliament,  but  knowing  Mr.  Priced  abi.-' 
lities  as  a  lawyer,  made  him,  in  1700,  a  judge  of  Breck- 
nock circuit  After  sitting  in  parliament  for  Weobly  from 
1682  to  1702,  he  resigned  his  seat  in  favour  of  his  son 
Thomas,  and  was  made  seijeant-at-law,  and  one  of ^  the 
barons  of  the  excbequef.  In  this  character  he  distinguished 
hinoself  in  the  memorable  case  of  the  Coventry  election,  in 
1706,  defending  the  conduct  of  the  magistrates  who  had 
called  in  the  aid  of  the  military,  not  to  influence  the  elec- 
tion, but  to  suppress  a  riot  whinhi  tended  to  destroy  its 
freedom.  In  1710,  as  his  fortune  wsi^  considerably  in- 
creased by  his  preferment,  he  built  an  alms-house  at 
the  place  of  ixis  birth  for  six  poor  people,  and  amply  en- 
dowed it. 

.  On  the  accession  of  George  I.  in  1714^,  the  baron  wa^ 
continued  in  his  office,  although  not  employed  in  the  judi- 
cial proceedings  against  the  rebels  in  1716.  On  the  me* 
morable  quarril  between  the  king  and. the  prince  of  Wales 
(aflterwards  George  II.)  which  led  to  a  question  respecting 
tlie  care  and  education  of  the  prince's.children,  Mr.  baron 
Price  and  Mr.  justice  Eyre  had  the  courage  to  maintain  s^n 
opinion  contrary  tathat  of  the  king.  As  he  advanced  in  life, 
he  procured  an  exchange  of  his  seat  on  the  Exchequer 
bench  for  one  in  the  Common  Pleas,  the  duties  of  which, 


Mi  PRICE. 

be  was  told,-  would  be  easier.  This-  was  effected  in  17136 ; 
but  the  <  consequences  were  t&e  reverse  of  wbat  he  ex- 
pected ;  for  ills  reputation  bron^t  s6  oia-ny  suitors  intp'  cfae 
Cominon  Pleas,  that  be  had  inore  business  than  ever,  lie 
continued, .  however,  to .  perform  his  duties  with  unremit-f 
ting  assiduity,  and  with  gcdEU;  rfeput^ion^  until  his  death, 
at  Kensington,  Jan.  2,  17^*2,  in:  the  7^ih.  year  of  bis- age; 
His  remains  were  interred  ^' Weobly  cborbb^  in  Heteford-* 
shire.  He  bore  iJ)e reputation  of  a  neiah  of  veiy  coiisider^^ 
able  abilities,  and  inflexibleio^grity ;  ^andy  as  af)peara  by 
the  few  circumstances  we  have  related,  Was 'Certainly  v^oiail 
of  independetit.spirit  and  coumge.^  .     ,       ,. 

FRIDEAUX  (Humphr'ey)^   a  learned  ,£nglisli'  dirinei 
was  born  ^at  Padstow,  in  Cornwall^  May's,  1^4dV    He  was 
the  son  of  Edmund  Prideaux,  esq.  of  an  ancient;  and  bow 
Boa^able  family  in  ;that  ooutity^  and  w^  eqcmlly  wellde^ 
scended  by  his  mother,  the  daughter  of  John  Moyloy  esq; 
of  Bake,  in  Cornwali     Afkear  some  etoinentary'  education 
at  Liskard^  and  'Bodmin,  'he  was  placed  ^nder  Dr^  Busby, 
at  Westminster-school,  and  in  1648  admillted  a  siudebt  of 
Christ  Cburch,  Oxford,  by  dean  Fell.     Hie  attainments 
bere  must  have  distinguished  biih:  v^vy  early?  for.  wefind 
that  in  1672^  when  be  took  bis  bachelor^  degree^ -Dr.  Veil 
employed  him  to  add  some  notes:  to  an  editicinV  of  wFldrus, 
tben  printing  at  the  university  press :  aad.'soon.  after,  be 
was-  requested  to  be  the  editor  -of  Mal^ela,  a  Greek  histo- 
riany  from  a  M  S.  in  ^  ^be  Bodleian-  library 4  but  halving  re- 
presented this  as  a.:work.  not  wortfi' the  printing,  b^ng 
fabulous  and  triiSing,' the  desigii.<waa  laid  aside^  until  Dr. 
Hody,  who  was  of  a  difllrent  Opinion^  undertook  th4  task. 
Mr.  Prkleaux^   about  die  same  time,,  was^  edbployed'in 
giving  a-hbtdryof  the  ArQ:ndeUan  marbles,  wttb  a  com-^ 
xnent)^  f^bichwas  published  in  May  1676,  under -the  ^itle 
**  Marmora  Oxoniensia,'*  folio.    Such  a  work  was  Well  eal«» 
eulated  to  advance  his:  repmation  abnoad^  as 'well  asat 
bom€t;  and  there  was  such  a  demaod  for  it,  tbut  within  a' 
fewyeai^  it  ^ould  not  be  procured  but  atia  very  btgb  price; 
It  suffered,  however,  very  much  fieom  ^tbe  •  carelessness'  and 
neglect  of  a  Mr.  Bennet,  then  corrector. to  'the'UMverBity: 
press,  and -contained  BO  m^ny  typograiphidal  •  errors,  tfaM 
Mr.  Prideaux  never  could  speak  of  it  ^di  ecHaiplaceney; 
A  more  correct  edition  was  published  by  Maitliaire^  in 
1732.     In  1675  Mr.  Prideaux  took  bis  degree  of  M.A.:     ^^ 

*  Life,  London,  1734,  8fo»—Whwton*s  Memoirs, 


A 


PJIIDEAUX.  9SS 

Havlii^^  by  ofAhr,  ^ew&attd  one  of  the-  copies  of  die 
*:^  Marmora^'  to  thd  lord  chaDCcltor  Finch,  tbia  introdoGecl 
bim  to  his  lordflbip^s  patronage^  %wbo  soon  after  placed  one- 
of  hissons:upder  himy  asr.tiator  at  Cbrist  Church;  and- in 
1679  presentedhim  to  the  rbotery  of  St.  Clement's,  ia  thja^ 
suburb  of  Oxfoi-d^. where  be.officiaited  for  several  years. 
The  same  yeat  he  poblished  two  tracts  om  of  Maimonides 
in  Hebre%.  with  a  Latin  traosladon  and. notes,  ,noder  the 
title  ^^'I|t  Jure  pauperis  et  peregrini  apod  Judeos."  This 
be  did  in  consequenee  of  having  been  appointed  Dr.  Busby's 
Hebrew  lecturer  ia  Christ  Church,  and  with  a  view  to^teach 
students  the  rabbinical  dialect,  and  to  read  it  without  points. 
In  1681,'  the  lord  .chancellor  Finch,  then  earl  of  Notting^ 
barti^  presented  bim  to  a  prebend  in  the  cathedral  of  Nor« 
wich.  Id  Nov:  1682,  he  was  admitted  to  the.  degree  of 
bachelor  in  divinity^  and  on  the  death  of  Lord  Nottinghanii 
found  another  patron  in  bis 'luccessor  sir  Francis  North; 
who^  in  ^ebruaryof  the  fodlo wing  year,  g^ve  hira  the  rec^ 
tory  of  Bladeii,  with  Woodstock  cbupelry,  in  Oxfordshire ; 
and  as  Mr.  Prideaux  had  been  dppoanted  librarian  to  Cbnbt 
Church,  to  whidh  ho  salary  belongs,  he  was  allowed  to  hold 
this  living  with  his  student's  place. 

He  now  devoted  himself  .entirely  to  his  studies  and  the 
duties  of  his  function,  going  constantly,  to  Bladen  and 
Woodstock  every  Si^nday ;  and  he  kept  a  resident  curate 
at  Woodstock,  for  the  discharge  of  all  parochial  duties  i 
for  wtose  convenience,  as  well  as  that  of  fats  soccessors^ 
Dr.  Fell,  now  bishop  of  Oxford,,  built,  athis  own  exf>ence^ 
a  bouse.  The  terms  of  the  purchase  and.  building  be  left 
to  Mr. . Prideaux,  who  completed  it  in  1^685.  In  college 
he  exerted  himself  in  reforming  many  abuses,  and  restoriog 
^scipline,  which  was  not  very  acceptable  to  many  of  xhe 
studiehts,  but.  procured  bim  the  friendship  and  esteem  ^of 
•his  learned  contemporaries  at  the  ^  university,  particularly 
bishop  Fell  and  Df^s.  Pocock,  Marshall,  Bernard,  MilLs^ 
.Godolphin,  &c.  On  the  death  of  bishop  Fell^  when  king 
James^  imposed  a  popish  dean  on  Christ  Church,  Mr.  Prideaui: 
determined  to  quit  Oxford^  and  settle  on  his  €mres;'and 
accordingly,  having,*  in  1686,  proceeded  doctor  in  divinity^ 
be  exchanged  his  living  of  Bladen  for- the. rectory  of  Saham 
/in  Norfolk,  and  then  left  Oxford,  to  which  he  never  re- 
turned. A  few  days  before  this  he  attended  the  funeral  of 
his  revered  friend,  Dr.  Fell. 

Wh^n  he  came  to  settle  at   Norwich,    such  was  bis 


tSe  P  R  I  D  E  A  U  X. 

repuUtion  for  judgment  and  integrity,  that  tfae  whole  ma- 
nagement of  the  affairs  of  the  cathedral  was  Committed  to 
him,  and  throughout  life  he  was  concerned  in  placing  them 
in  a  much  better  situation  than  he  found  them,  great  irre- 
gularities having  prevailed  in  the  keeping  of  the  accounts, 
and  the  registers  and  other  documents  belonging  to  the 
church  being  much  neglected.  All  these  he  sought  out, 
examined,  and  arranged  in  a  proper  manner;  and  ordered, 
from  time,  to  time,  some  very  necessary  repaiw  in  the 
church.  He  was  also,  soon  after  his  arrival  here,  engaged 
in  a  controversy  with  the  popish  party,  whose  emissaries, 
taking  encouragement  from  the  conduct  of  king  James  II. 
were  now  more  than  usually  industrious.  Those  who  bad 
vicrited  Norfolk,  particularly,  insisted  on  the  invalidity 
of  the  orders  of  the  church  of  England ;  <<  for,  having  no 
priesthood,  we  could  have  no  sacraments,  and  consequently, 
could  be  no  church ;  nor  could  salvation  be  had  among  us. -' 
In  reply  to  this.  Dr.  Prideaux  published  a  vi^ork  entitled 
<'  The  Validity  of  the  Orders  of  the  Church  of  England 
made  out  against  the  objections  of  the  papists :  in  several 
letters  to  a  gentleman  of  Norwich,  &c/'r  1688,  8vo;  re- 
printed in  1715.  He  also  preached  in  the  cathedral  against 
several  of  the  tenets  of  popery,  at  a  time  when  many  of  his 
brethren  were  intimidated  by  the  determination  of  the  king 
to  establish  that  religion.  One  good  effect  df  this  was, 
that  his  brethren  caught  a  portion  of  his  spirit,  and  handled 
the  same  subjects  in  their  respective  churches;  and,  by 
other  seasonable  measures,  the  mischief  was  delayed  untU 
the  abdication  of  the  king ;  and  the  consequent  proceedings 
upon  that  important  event  dispelled  the  fears  of  the  ftienda 
of  the  protestant  religion. 

In  December  of  this  year  ( 1 688)Dr.  Prideaux  was  collated 
to  the  archdeaconry  of  Suffolk  by  Dr.  William  Lloyd^ 
i>ishop  of  Norwich.  In  May  1689  he  made  his  first  visita- 
Mon  of  his  archdeaconry ;  and  the  new  oaths  to  government 
being  then  the  general  subject  of  debate  among  the  clergy, 
his  chief  business  was  to  give  the  best  satisfactiou  he  could 
to  those  who  had  any  doubts  about  them ;  which  he  per- 
formed with  such  jBuccess,  that  out  of  three  hundred  pa- 
rishes, there  were  only  three  clergymen  in  all  that  juris-^ 
diction  who  refused  to  take  them.  In  the  winter  following 
lie  attended  the  convocation,  which  was  called  to  consider 
of  alterations  and  amendments  of  the  liturgy,  the  canons^ 
ordinances,  and  constitutions,  the  reformation  of  the  eccle- 


PRIDEAUX.  287 

siastical  courts,  &c.  8lc«;  but,  after  sitting  ten  days,  no 
progress  was  made  in  any  of  these  measures,  and  the  convo*' 
cation  was  adjourned.  Dr.  Prideaux,  who  was  of  opinion 
that  many  alterations  in  the  liturgy  were  necessary,  wrote 
ja  pamphlet  on  the  subject,  entitled  **  A  Letter  to  a 
Friend,  relating  to  the  present  Convocation  at  Westmin<» 
ster,"  of  which  several  thousands  were  sold  within  a 
fortnight. 

After  this  be  quitted  Norwich,  and  resided  at  his  par- 
sonage at  Saham,  in  which  church  he  officiated  every 
morning  and  afternoon  throughout  the  four  years  that  he 
Jived  there,  unless  when  keeping  his  two  months'  residence 
iat  Norwich,  or  visiting  bis  archdeaconry,  which  he  did 
constantly  twice  a  year,  until  unable  to  bear  the  journey 
in  consequence  of  the  stone,  a  disorder  he^  had  already 
contracted,  and  which  at  last  proved  fatal  to  him.  A  fa- 
vourite topic  in  his  visitations  was  the  duty  of  private  prayet 
in  the  families  of  the  clergy,  which  he  urged  by  every 
argument ;  and  told  them,  that  when  visiting,  if  there  was 
any  house  where  the  dwellers  refused  to  hearthem  per- 
form family- worship,  that  was  no  house  for  a  clergyman  to 
make  his  abode  iti.  * 

In  the  fijrst  session  of  parliament  after  the  new  bishops 
(appointed  in  the  room  of  those  who  refused  to  take  the 
oaths  to  government)  made  their  appearance,  two  bills  were 
brought  into  the  House  of  Lords,  relattj^g  to  the  church, 
in.  both  of  which  Dr.  Prideaux  was  concerned:  the  first 
was  to  take  away  pluralities  of  benefices,  the  ..other  to  pre- 
vent clandestine  marriages.  Bishop  Ekirnet  intended  to 
introduce  the  first,  but  submitted  it  previously  to  Dr. 
Prideaux,  who  drew  up  a  bill,  which  all  the  prelates  friendly 
to  the  measures  thought  would  be  less  liable  to  objection^ 
and  therefore  it  was  brought  into  the  House,  but  rejected ; 
the. other,  to  prevent  clandestine  marriages,  was  introduced 
by  one  of  the  peers ;  and  its  object  was,  to  make  it  felony 
in  .the  minister  who  should  solemnize  or  officiate  at  such 
oiarriage.  This  matter  being  warmly  debated,  Dr.  Kidder, 
then  bishop  of  Bath  and  Wells,  wrote  to  Dr.  Prideaux, 
desiring  his  opinion  on  it.  The  doctor,  in  a  very  long  let- 
ter, proved  that  the  ecclesiastical  laws  were  already  suffi- 
cient to  prevent  clandestine  marriages,  if  only  carried  into 
execution.;  and  stated,  by  what  means,  all  the  precautions 
provided  in  these  laws  had  been  evaded  by  the  avarice  of 
|haDceV1ors,  commissaries,  and  registrars.     He  added  that. 


5$B 


P  H  I  BKIA  U  X. 


w  t}ie  bill  $tbod^  it  tsooldh^ve  no  other  effect  tkma'to'  mif»i 
ject  the  clergy  to  be  tried  for  their  liveg  every  msririflg^ 
they.solemnized^  '  Kidder,  who  had  made  use  of  this, 
paper  in  the  debate  which  ended  in  withdrawing  the  bill, 
immediately  sent  it  to  the  press ;  and  the  week  following^ 
to  Dr.  Prideaux's  grea;t  surprize,  Ue  recj^tvod  a  ^printed 
copy  of  it  from  the^  bishops  whohow^^vterhad-nol  put  bis 

name  to  it.  ^  . "         *     ' 

In  i691,  on  thedeath  of  Dr.  Pbcock^  bis  pfiofeisorship 
ipf  Hebrew)  was  offered  to  Dn  Prideaiux';  but  he  deeiined 
it,  says  his  biographer,  ^^  for  several  reasons,  vrhich  «t 
that  time  made  it  inconvenient  to  him  to  accept  it,  but 
afterwards  it  proved  much  to  his  detriment -that  he  did 
not."  As  after  the  slct  of  toleration,;many^  people  imaging 
themselves  at  liberty  either  to  go  to  church^  or  stay  «tt 
home,  as  theiy  thought  proper,  by  which  means  the  chnrohes 
were  much  deserted,  Dr.  Prideaux  drew  up  a  circular  let^ 
ter,  directed  to  the  ministers  of  his  archdeaconry,  whieiii 
was*  aftenvards  published,  in  1701,  at  the  end  of  his  ^^Di« 
rections  to  Churchwardens."  In  1^4,  finding  bis  health 
impaired  by  the  aguish  air  of  Saham^  he  determined  to 
return  again  with  his  family  to  Norwich ;  but,  instead  of 
putting  in  a  curate  at  Saham,  he  thought  it  his  duty  to 
give  up  both  benefice  and  ofBce,  which  he  accordiligly 
did,  into  the  hands  of  the  bishop  of  the  diocese,  and  in-* 
formed  the  warditp  and  fellows  of  New  college,  Oxfocd, 
the  patrons  of  the  living,  of  his  resignation.  On  hitf  re- 
tarn  to  Norwich,  the  care  of  the  cathedral  aflairit  ^igaitt 
devolved  upon  him,  in  the  absence  of  the  dean  (Dr«  Fair^ 
fax),  who  resided  mostly  in  London^.  In  1696,  the  deaa 
and  chapter  presented  him  to  the  vicarage  of  Trowse,  worth 
about  40/.  and  situated  a  mile  from-  Norwich.  H^re  be  offi- 
ciated with  the  same  assiduity  and  regularity  as  at  Saham,  and 
that  purely  for  the  love  of  duty ;  for,  in  addition  to  bis  Other 
preferments,  he  had  a  private  fortune,  which  rendefi^d 
this  last  vicarage  of  no  consequence  in  a  pecuniary  view. 
In  1697  he  published  his  <«  Life  6f  Mahomet t,'*  8vo,  of 


*  On  the  promotion  of  Dr.  Tepisoa 
to  the  see  of  Canterbury,'  our  author 
addressed  a  letter  to  his  grace,  con- 
taining <'  An  Account  of  the  Eoglish 
settlements  in  the  East  Indies,  together 
with  some  proposals  for  tbe  propaga- 
tion of  Christianity  in  thosep  arts  of  ihe 
world." 


f  The  facetious  Mr.  Creates  io» 
forms  us,  **  that  when  the  learned 
Humphry  Prideaux  (as  the  story  goes) 
offered  his  life  of  Mabomel  to  th« 
bookseller,  he  was  desired  to  leare^the 
copy  with  him  a  few  days,  for  his  pe- 
rusal. The  bookseller,  who  had  hot 
the  learniDg  or  taste  of  |i  siod«fj| 


p  R  IDE  A  u::^.  isy 

*!iicli  threie  editions  were  printed  the  first  year.  He  in--. 
tended  to  have  written  a  history  of  the  Saracen  empii*ei 
and  with  it  the  decay  and  fall  of  the  Christian  religion  ; 
but.  he  gave  ufp  this  design  for  reasons  statied  in  the  preface 
to  the  Life  of  Mahomet.  This  valuable  work  was  followed! 
By  nis  useful  lititle  treatise  called  ^^  Directions  to  Church- 
wardens,'* whose  negligence  he  had  very  nauch  experi- 
enced in  his  archdeaconry:  this  has  gone  through  manjr 
editions.  In  1702,  on  the  death  of  the  dean  of  Norwichjj 
Dr.  Henry  Fairfax,  Dr.  Prideaux  was  installed  as  his  sue-- 
cesser  on  June  8th  of  that  year,  and  a  more  proper  persoa 
could  not  be  found.  He  now  continued,  with  better  eifectji 
if  possibly  that  attention  to  reeularity  and  discipline  whicfai 
•  he  had  before  piaid ;  and  although  this  made  hina  ob- 
noxious' to  the  persons  whom  he  censured  or  dismissed^ 
the  benefit  to  tKe  general  body  wai  too  obvious  not  to  be 
approved.  In  December  l7oS,  on  a  public  thanksgfvingf- 
day  for  the  success  of  the  expedition  to  Vigo,  he  preached 
a  sermon  on  the  subject,  which  we  potice  as  the  only  one 
he  ever  printed ;  and,,  had  it  been  left  to  his  own  inclina- 
tton','  would  never  liave  been  thought  of  by  himself  for  that 
purpose.  *  In  1703  he  published  a  tract  in  vindication  of  the 
ecclesiastical  law,  which  gives  the  successor  in  any  eccle- 
stasticaV  benefice  ot  promotion,  all  the  profits^  fron^  the 
day  6f  the  avoidance.  This  was  occasioned  by  an  altera*- 
tioii  in  the  Isiw  which  bishop  Burnet  was  about  to  have 
introduced;  but  our  author's  arguments  carried,  sucH 
weight,  that'  the  design  wa^  given  up. 

On  the  translation  of  the  bishop  of  Npfwich  to  Ely,  Dr. 
t^rideaiix  was  advised  ^to  make  interest  for  the  bishopric ; 
but  being  now  sixty  years  of  age,  too  late  to  enter  on  a 
course' of  public  life  and  parliamentary  attendance,  and  for 
6ttier  reasons,  he  declined  interfering,  and  Dr.  Trimnell 
became  bishop,  whom  he  thought  every  way  deserving  of 
the  preferbfient.  In  the  nlean  time  Dr.  Prideaux  continued 
his  labours  for  the  general  interests  of  the  church,  and  in 


f» 


artisti  bayiniT  coasulted  with  his  ^earned  a  ^it^le  ipqre  Rumour  in  it." — Spiritual 

gatret^en,  who  were  higlity  pleased  Qt|iiiote;  Book  II.  chV  I. — Th'is  stoiy 

with  the  perfortDanoek  told  tlie  doctor,  is  more  briefly  told  i^  a  note  on  Swift'n 

at  ^  hi;  jefijirn,  **  Well,    Mr.  What's-  wo^rks,  where  the  book  is  said  to  haV^ 

yoiir^name/'  says  he,   f<  I  have  per-'  been    l^rideaux's  *f  Connection^;"    id 

ased  ycror 'mantiscripl;  I  don't  know  which,'  it  inustlble  confessed, -the  difll'^ 

what, to  say  to  it;  I  believa  I  shall  ,  ci^Itypf  introdttcin;  humour  is  mora 

▼entare  to  print  it :  the,  thing,  is  we]l  striking. 
•bough:  bttt^I  ootid  wish  th6^e#ere 

Vol.  XXV.  U 


S90  ?  R  I  D  E  A  U  X. 

1709,  published  his  tract  on  ''The  original  right  o^ 
Tythes."  In  this,  his  first  intention  was  to  give  the  Histoiy 
of  Appropriations ;  and  this  was  to  have  been  only  an  in- 
troduction ;  but  it  enlarging  under  his  hand,  he  resolved 
to  publish  it  by  itself  as  the  first  part  of  the  work..  He  had 
for  many  years  made  collections  of  the  common  law  and 
ecclesiastical  history  ;  but  wanted  much  information  which 
he  could  not  have  without  going  to  London,  and  consulting  ' 
the  public  records  there ;  and  he  was  about  this  time 
ifteized  with  the  calamitous  distemper  of  the  stone ;  so.  that 
he  was  forced  to  lay  aside  that  design.  Upon  this  last  ac- 
count also  he  resigned  the  vicarage  of  Trowse^  when  no 
longer. able  to  go  up  into  the  pulpit.  The  severity  oC 
his  disorder  now  suggested  the  operation  of  lithotomy,! 
which  was  successfully  performed  by  Mr.  Salter,  an  enii« 
nent  surgeon  of  London,  who  went  to  Norwich  for  the  pur- 
pose ;  but  the  subsequent  cure,  having  been  entrusted  to  a 
young  man  at  Norwich,  was  so  badly  treated,  that  the  pa- 
tient had  almost  lost  his  life,  and  was  indeed  ever  after  a. 
great  sufferer  by  this  misconduct. 

Being  enabled,  however,  to  return  to  his  studies,  after 
improving  a  new  editioh  of  his  *^  Directioos  to  Church 
Wardens,''  in  1712,  he  proceeded  with  that  greater  work,  oa 
which  his  reputation  with  posterity  principally  depends. 
It  was  entitled  "The  Connection  of  the  History  of  the  Old 
and  New  Testament;''  the  first  part  of  which  was  published 
in  1715,  the  second  in  1718,  fol.  Both  parts  were  received 
with  the  greatest  approbation,  and  went  through  eight 
editions  in  4  vols.  8vo,  at  London,  besides  two  or  three  at 
Dublin,  before  the  end  of  1720,  since  which  it  has  been 
often  reprinted,  and  is  indeed  accounted  a  standard  book 
in  every  theological  library.  This  history  takes  in  the 
affairs  of  Egypt;  Assyria,  and  all  the  other  eastern  nations, 
9s  well  as  the  Jews;  and  likewise  those  of  Greece  an4 
Rome,  as  far  as  was  necessary  to  give  a  distinct  view  of  the 
completion  of  the  prophecies  which  relate  to  the  times 
comprehended  in  the  history.  The  author  has  also  set  in 
the  clearest  light  some  passages  of  propbane  history,  which 
before  lay  dispersed  and  buried  in  confusion  :  and  there 
appears  throughout  the  whole  work  such  an  amiable  spi- 
rit of  sincerity  and  candour,  as  sujBSciently  atones  for 
the  few  mistakes  which  escaped  his  diligence.  Gordon^ 
the  author  of  "  Cato'is  Letters,"  had  certainly  no  prejudices 
^n  favour  of  Prideaux,  or  of  Iiis  work  ;  yet  be  styles.it  ^*a^ 


J?  R  I  D  E  A  U  X.  891 

1»ody  of  ^  universal  history,  written  with  suph  capacity,  ac«- 
curacy,  industry,  and  honesty,  as  make  it  one4)f  the  best, 
books  that  ever  came  into  the  .world,  and  shew  him  to  be 
one  of  the  greatest  men  in  it  No  book  was  ever  more  uni- 
versally read  and  approved :  it  is,  indeed,  a  great  public 
service  done  to  mankind,  and  entitles  the  author  to  the 
highest  public  gratitude  and  honour.  But  though  I  never 
saw  any  great  work,  to  which  1  found  fewer  objections,  yet 
ats  a  memorable  proof  how  inseparably  mistakes  and  preju* 
dices  cleave  to  the  mind  of  man,  the  great  and  candid  Dr. 
Prideaux  is  not  without  them.  I  therefore  do  not  upbraid 
l^im  with  them,  but  rather  admire  him  for  having  so  few. 
There  are,  however,  some  of  his  theological  observations,, 
which  seem  to  me  not  only  ill-grounded,  but  to  have  a  ten- 
dency to  create  in  his  readers  wrong  notions  of  the  Deity, 
and  to  encourage  them  to  mistake  the  common  accidents 
of  life,  and  the  common  events  of  nature,  for  judgments ; 
and  to  apply  them  superstitiously  as  such."  There  are 
letters  between  the  deaa  and  his  cousin  Mr.  Moyle,  con- 
cerning some  passages  in  this  '^  Connection,"  &c.  printed, 
in  the  "  Miscellaneous  Works"  of  the  latter,  and  in  Dr. 
Prideaux's  life.  Noman^ould  be  more  willing  to  listea 
to  reasonable  objections,  or  to  correct  what  could  be  proved 
to  be  wrong.  Candour  was  the  distinguishing  feature  of 
Pean  Prideaux's  character.. 

In  the  interval  between  the  publication  of  the  first  and 
second  parts  of  his  **  Connection,"  lord  Townsend,  secre- 
tary of  state  to  George  I.  having  meditated  a  design  to  in- 
troduce a  reformation  in  the  two  universities,  consulted 
<>ur  author  upon  ^t,  who  drew  up  a  plan  for  the  purpose^ 
and  sent  it  to  bis  lordship,  under  the  title  of  **  Articles 
for  the  Reformation  of  the  two  Universities."  These 
^mounted  to  fifty-six  in  number.  No  proceeding  was  held 
^n' consequence  of  this ;  but  some  of  his  articles  have  beea 
silently  adopted,  and  others  are  perhaps  irreconcileable  with 
^e  true  interests  of  those  seminaries.  His  proposition  to 
erect  a  sort  of  college  for  those  who  had  neglected  their 
studies,  by  the  name  oi Drone-Hall,  h^s  mc^re  the. air  of 
a.  piece  of  humour,  than  a  serious  proposition.  The 
whole  are  printed  in  the  volume  which  contains  his  life. 

In  the  seventy-fourth  year  of  his  age,  finding  himself  so 
much  weakened  by  age  aiid  infirmity  that  he  could  no  longer 
i^sbe  his  books  as  formerly,  ^nd  being, desirous  that  his^oUec* 
Ijlon  of  Oriental  books  should  not  be  dispei^se^,  he  permitt^^ 

U2 


292  P  R  I  D  E  A  tJ  X. 

his  8011,  who  had  been  educated  at  that  college^  to  make' 
a  present  of  them  to  the  society  of  Clare-hall,  Cambridge ; 
and  they  were  accordingly  deposited  in  Clare-halMibrary^ 
to  the  number  of  three  hundred  volumes  and  upwards^  It' 
were  to  be  wished,  that' such  an  example  was  more  fre- 
quently followed,  for  there  are  few  ways  that  tend  more  to 
render  such  a  valuable  collection  useless^  than  by  dispers- 
ing it  among  private  hands. 

About  a  year  before  his  death  he  was  wholly  confined 
to  his  chamber,  and  at  last  his  increasing  infirmities  took 
from  him  all  power  of  helping  himself.  He  ha:d  always 
been  a  sufferer  since  his  case,  after  being  cut  for  the  stones 
was  improperly  treated,  and  was  frequently  afflicted  and 
greatly  reduced,  by  rheumatic  pains  and  paralytic  affections. 
He  expired  Nov.  1,  1724,  in  the  seventy-seventh  year  of 
his  age,  and  was  buried,  according  to  his  own  direction,  in 
the  cathedral  of  Norwich. 

Dr.  Prideaux  was  naturally  of  a  very  strong,  robust  con* 
stitution  ;  whicli  enabled  him  to  pursue  his  studies  with 
great  assiduity ;  and  notwithstanding  his  close  application, 
and  sedentary  manner  of  life,  enjoyed  great  vigour  both 
of  body  and  mind  for  many  years  together,  till  afflicted  by 
the  stone.  Although  we  have  few  particulars  of  his  course 
of  study  at  Oxford^  it  is  evident  that  he  must  have  been 
an  early  and  hard  student,  and  had  accumulated  a  great 
fund  of  Oriental  learning,  and  an  intimate  acquaintance 
with  ecclesiastical  history.  His  parts  were  very  good,  ra- 
ther solid  than  lively:  bis  judgment  excellent:  as  a  wri- 
ter he  is  clear,  strong,  intelligent,  and  learned,  without 
any  pomp  of  language,  or  ostentation  of  eloquence.  His 
conversation  resembled  his  style,  being  learned  and  in- 
structive, but  with  a  conciseness  of  expression  on  many 
occasions,  which,  to  those  who  were  not  well  acquainted 
with  him,  had  sometimes  the  appearance  of  rusticity.  In 
his  manner  of  life,  he  was  regular  and  temperate,  being 
seldom  out  of  his  bed  after  ten  at  night,  and  he  generally 
rose  to  his  studies  before  five  in  the  morning.  His  dispo- 
sition was  sincere  and  candid.  He  generally  spoke  his 
mind  with  freedom  and  boldness,  and  was  npt  easily  di- 
verted from  pursuing  what  he  thought  right.  To  those 
who  differed  from  him  in  opinion,  he  always  behaved  with 
great  candour.  In  party  principles  he  was  rather  inclined* 
to  what  was  called  Low-church ;  but  in  his  adherence  to 
the  establishment,  in  performing  all  the  duties  annexed  to- 


P  R  I  D  E  A  U  X.  293 

bis  prefermtots,  in  enjoining  a  like  attention  upon  all 
with  whom  be  bad  inflaence,  and  in  brs  dislike  of  schism 
and  schismatics,  no  man  was  more  inflexible.  He  had  at 
one  time  flattered  himself  that  a  few  alterations  in  the  li* 
turgy  might  tend  to  bring  back  the  dissenters  to  the  church; 
but  he  lived  to  see,  what  we  have  lived  to  see  more  clearly, 
that  a  few  alterations  would  not  answer  the  purpose. — For 
most  of  these  particulars  we  are  indebted  to  an  excellent 
Life  of  Dr.  Prideaux,  which  appeared  in  October  1748, 
'^  with  several  tracts  and  letters  of  his  upon  various  subjects^ 
never  before  published.*'  * 

PRIDE  AUX  (JoHiv),  a  learned  English  bishop,  was  born 
at  Stowford,  in  the  parish  of  Harford,  near  Ivy-bridge  in 
Devonshire,  Sept  17,  1578,  and  was  the  fourth  of  seven 
sons  of  his  father,  who  being  in  mean  circumstances,  with 
so  large  a  family,  our  author,  after  he  had  learned  to  write 
and  read,  having  a  good  voice,  stood  candidate  for  the  place 
of  parish-clerk  of  the  church  of  Ugborow  near  Harford. 
Mr.  Price  informs  us,  that  ^'  he  had  a  competitor  for  the 
office,  who  had  made  great  interest  in  the  parish  for  him« 
self,  and. was  likely  to  carry  tbe^lace  from  him.  The 
parishioners  being  divided  in  the  matter,  did  'at  length 
agree  in  this,  being  unwilling  to  disoblige  either  party,  that 
the  Lord-s-day  following  should  be  the  day  of  trial ;  the 
one  should  tuue  the  Psalm  in  the  forenoon,  the  other  in 
the  afternoon ;  and  he  that  did  best  please  the  people, 
should  have  the  place.  Which  accordingly  was  done,  and 
Prideaux  lost  it,  to  his  very  great  grief  and  trouble.  Upon 
which,  after  he  became  advanced  to  one  of  the  first  digni* 
ties  of  the  church,  he  would  frequently  make  this  reflec* 
tion,  saying,  **  If  I  could  but  have  been  clerk  of  Ugborow, 
I  had  nevei*  been  bishop  of  Worcester.'*  Disappointed  in 
this  office,  a  lady  of  the  parish,  mother  of  sir  Edmund 
Towel,  maintained  him  at  school  till  he  had  gained  s<yne 
knowledge  of  the  Latin  tongue,  when  he  travelled  to  Ox- 
ford, and  at  first  lived  in  a  very  mean  station  in  Exeter- 
college,  doing  servile  offices  in  the  kitchen,  and  prosecut- 
ing his  studies  at  his  leisure  hours,  till  at  last  he  was  taken 
notice  of  in  the  college,  and  admitted  a  member  of  it  in 
act^term  1596,  under  the  tuition  of  Mr.  William  Helme, 
B.  D.    On  January  the  31st,  1599,  he  took  the  degree  of 

^  Life,  ubi  supra. — Biog.  Brit.— Birch's  Tiilotsoo. — Qen.  Dict.<«>GeDt.  Ma^^.* 
Tol.  LXX.^-Letters  t>y  eminent  persons,  1813^  3  vols.  8vo. 


iU  P  R  r  D  E  A  U  X. 

Bachelor  of  Arts,  and  in  1602  was  chosen  probationer  fel<-t 
low  of  his  college.  On  May  the  1  Itb,  1603,  be  proceeded 
Master  of  Arts,  and  soon  after  entered  into  holy  orders^ 
On  May  the  6th,  161  ],  he  took  the  degree  of  Bacbelor.of 
Divinity;  and  the  year  following  was  elected  rector  of  hi» 
college  in  the  room  of  Di'.  Holland;  and  June  the  lOtb, 
the  same  year,  proceeded  Doctor  of  Divinity*  In  16 15, 
upon  the  advancement  of  Dr.  Robert  Abbot  to  the  bishop* 
ric  of  Sarum,  he  was  made  regius  professor  of  divinity^ 
and  consequently  became  canon  of  Christ-church,  and 
rector  of  Ewelme  in  Oxfordshire ;  and  afterwards  dis-*^ 
charged  the  office  of  vice-chancellor  of  the  university  for 
several  years.  In  the  rectorship  of  his  college  he  behaved 
himself  in  such  a  manner,  that  it  flourished  more  than  any 
other  in  the  university  ;  more  foreigners  coming  thither  for 
the  benefit  of  his  instruction  than  ever  was  known ;  and  in  his 
professorship,  says  Wood,  '>  he  behaved  himself  very  plau<H 
fiible  to  the  generality,  especially  for  this  reason,  that  in 
bis  lectures,  disputes,  and  moderatings  (which  were  al^ 
ways  frequented  by  many  auditors),  he  shewed  himself  a 
stout  champion  against  Socinus  and  Arminius.  Which 
being  disrelished  by  some  who  were  then  rising,  and  in 
authority  at  court,  a  faction  thereupon  grew  up  in  the 
university  between  those  called  Puritans,  or  Calvinists,  on 
the  one  side,  and  the  Remonstrants,  commonly  called  Ar^ 
minians,  on  the  other :  which,  with  other  matters  of  the 
like  nature,  being  not  only  fomented  in  the  university,  but 
throughout  the  nation,  all  thiogs  thereupon  were  brought 
into  confusion.''  In  1641,  after  he  had  been  twenty- sis 
years  professor,  be  was  one  of  those  persons  of  unble*- 
mished  reputation,  whom  his  majesty  made  bishops,  on  the 
application  of  the  marquis  of  Hamilton,  who  had  been  one 
of  bis  pupils.  Accordingly,  in  November  of  that  year,  h^ 
was  elected  to  the  bishopric  of  Worcester,  to  which  he 
was  consecrated  December  the  19th  following  ;  but  the  re« 
bellion  was  at  that  time  so  far  advanced,  that  be  received 
little  or  no  profit  from  it,  to  his  great  impoverishment 
For  adhering  stedfastly  to  his,  majesty's  cause,  and  pro^ 
nouncing  ail  those  of  his  diocese,  who  took  up  arms  against 
him,  excommunicate,  be  was  plundered,  and  reduced  to 
such  straits,  that  he  was  obliged  to  sell  his  excellent  li^ 
brary.  Dr.  Gauden  said  of  him,  that  he  now  became  li- 
terally a  helluo  librorunif  being  obliged  to  turn  his  books- 
into  bread  for  his  children.     He  seems  to  have  borne  this 


P  R  I  D  E  A  U  X.  295 

barbarotis  usage  with  patience^  and  even  good*  humour. 
On  one  occasiion,  when  a  friend  came  to  see  him*  and  asked 
him  how  he  did  ?  he  answered,  "  Never  better  in  my  life, 
onljr  I  have  too  great  a  stomach,  for  I  have  eaten  the  little 
plate  which  tte' sequestrators  left  me ;  I  have  eaten  a  great 
library  of  excellent  books ;  I  have  eaten  a  great  deal  of 
iinenf  much  of  my  brasSy  some  of  my  p«i?/^,  and  now  am 
eome  to  eat  my  irrmf  and  wh^t  will  come  next  I  know 
not/'  So  great  was  his  poverty  about  this  time  that  he 
Would  have  attended  the  conferences  with  the  king  at  the 
Isle  of  Wight,  but  could  not  afford  the  means  of  travelling. 
£uch  was  the  treatment  of  this  great  and  good  man,  one 
of  the  best  scholars  and  ablest  promoters  of  learning  in  the 
kingdom,  at  the  hands  of  men  who  professed  to  contend  for 
liberty  and  toleration. 

He  died  of  a  fever  at  Bredon  in  Worcestershire,  at  the 
house  of  his  son-in-law,  Dr.  Henry  Sutton,  July  the  20th, 
1650,  leaving  to  his  children  no  legacy  but  '^  pious  po« 
verty,  God's  blessing,  and  a  father's  prayers,"  as  appears 
from  his  last  will  and  testament.  His  body  was  attended 
to  the  grave  by  persons  of  all  ranks  and  degrees,  and  was 
interred  in  the  chancel  of  the  church  of  Bredon.  He  was 
«  man  of  very  extensive  learning;  and  Nath.  Carpenter^ 
in  his  **  Geography  delineated,"  tells  us,  that  "  in  him 
the  heroical  wit$  of  Jewel,  Rainolds,  and  Hooker,  as  united 
into  one,  seemed  to  triumph  anew,  and  to  have  threatened 
8  fatal  blow  to  the  Babylonish  hierarchy.'*  He  was  ex- 
tremely humble,  and  kept  part  of  the  ragged  clothes  ia 
which  he  came  to  Oxford,  in  the  same  wardrobe  where  he 
lodged  his  rochet,  in  which  he  left  that  university.  He 
was  exemplary  in  his  charity,  and  very  agreeable  in  con- 
versation. By  his  first  wife,  Mai*y,  daughter  of  Dr.  Taylor, 
burnt  for  the  Protestant  religion  in  the  reign  of  queen 
Mary,  he  had  several  children;  viz.  William,  a  colonel  in 
the  service  of  king  Chartes  L  and  slain  at  the  battle  of 
Marston-moor  in.  1644;  Matthias,  a  captain  in  the  army 
of  that  king,' who  died  at  Lx)ndon  1646;  and  three  other 
sons,  who  died  in  their  infancy,  and  were  buried  in  Exe- 
ter-college; and  two  daughters,  viz.  Sarah,  married  .to 
William  Hodges,  archdeacon  of  Worcester,  and  rector 
of  Ripple  in  Worcestershire;  and  Elizabeth,  married  to 
Dr.  Henry  Sutton>  rector  of  Bredon  in  Worcestershire. 
Oar  author  iiad  for  bis  second  wife,  Mary,  daughter  of 


256  P  R  ID  E  A  U  X. 

a 

sir  Thojn^s  Reyael  of  West  Ogwell  in  Devopsbice^  juit: 
Cleveland  the  poet  wrote  an  elegy  upon  his  death. 

His  son  Matthias,  ^bove  mentioned^  was  born  in  1622, 
an^  admitted  of  £x^ter-college  in  i  ^40,  wl\^re  be  toqk  bif 
degree^m  arts.  He  died  at  Loadon  in  1646.  After  hi» 
death  was  published,  under  bis  napie,  '^  An  ea:%y  apd  com* 
pendipus  introduction  for  reading  all  sorts  qf  Histories/^ 
Oxon.  ^64?,  4to;  reprinted  1655,  with  a  "  Synppsis  of 
the  Counpils,"  Syritteu  by  hi^  fathe^r.  ^ 

I)r.  Prideaux's  yvorks  wjere,  1.  ^'Ta-b^lsp  ad  Gramxnaticjini 
GraecamlntrpductorioB,"  Oxford,  i  603,  4to,  3.  "Tirocini- 
lim^d  Syllogismum  contexendum."  .3.  ^^  Heptades  Logics^ 
siveMpnitaadamplioresTraqtatus  introductoria.^'  These twp 
l^st  pieces  were  printed  with  the  *^  Tabular  ad  Gr^mmati« 
cam  GraBcam,"  &c.  Mr.  David  Lloyd  observjes,  that  our 
autbor^s  Greek  Grammar  aud  Logicjc  were  both  but  a 
fortnight's  wprk.  4.  ^^  Castigatio  cujusd^m  Ci^cuJatoris, 
qui  B.  P.  Andream  Kudsemon-Johannem  Cydonium  soc. 
J^su  seipsum  nqncupat,  opposita  ipsius  calumniis,  in  £pis<» 
tola  Isaaci  Casauboni  ad  Frontonem  DucasMm,"  Oxford^ 
16 1;4,  $vo.  5.  ^'  AUoquium  ^erexiiss,  Beg.  Jacobo  Woo4* 
sjtocbio  habitum,  24  Aug.  1624,"  in  one  sheet,  4to.  6. 
^^  Drationes  novem  inaugurates  de  totidem  Theologian  apir 
clbu^,  prout  in  promotiohe  Doctorum  Oxoniae  public^  pr^- 
pon^bantur  in  Comitiis/'  Oxford,  1626,  4to.  7.  ^^  Lee- 
tiones  decern  de  totidem  Religionis  Capitibus,  praecipue 
Hoc  tempore  controversis,  prout  publice  babebaptur  Oxo- 
nian in  Veaperiis,"  Oxford,  1625,  4to.  8.  **  Lectiones  22, 
QratioqeslS,  Concione^  6,  et  Qrafio  ad  Ji^cobum  Regf^qa,'* 
Oxford,  1648,  folio.  Ainong  which  are  contain^  tb(5 
precedipg  lectures,  oratiqus,  and  speeches  to  kiog  Jamf^s 
at  Woodstock.  9.  ^^  Cpncio  ad  Artium  Baccalaureos  pro- 
more  habits  in  Ecclesi^  3.  Mariae  Oxon.  in  di^  Cinerum 
in  Act.  ii.  ^2.  Ann.  1616.V  lo.  ^^  Fasciculus  Coutrover- 
siariiiB  ad  Juniorum  aut  occupatorum  captum  colUgaius,** 
^c.  Oxford,  1649,  1651,  4to.  11.  "Tbeo^pgiae  §clio- 
lasticae  Syntagma  Mnemoaicum,"  Oxford,  1651.  12.*'  Con-* 
cUioruig  Synopsis,"  printed  with  the '' Fasciculus.''  13. 
^',  Epistola  de.  Episcppatu,"  folio.  14.  '^  Manuductioad 
Tbeologiam  Polemicaip,"  Oxford,  1657,  8vo,  published 
by  Mr.  Thomas  Barlow,  afterwards  bishop  of  Lincoln,  nvitb^ 
a  Latin  Epistle  b^forq  it  in  the  pam^,  of  the  printer.  13.. 
'*  j^ypomnemata  Losica,  Bl^etorica,  pi^ysica,  Metaphyr; 
sica,^'  &c.  Oxford,  8vo.     16.  Several  Sermons,  as,  1.  '^A 


PRIDEAUX.  257 

S^rtDon  at  the  conseerdtion  of  Exeter-co\lege  Chapel,"  on 
Luke  xix.  46,  Oxford,  1625,  4to.  2nd,  **  Perez  Uzzab> 
A  Sermon  before  the  king  ;at  Wopdstock,"  on  1  Samuel 
vi.  6,  7,  Oxford,  1685,  4to.  Both  these  sermons  are 
printed  with  another  volume,  .entitled,  17.  "  Twenty  Ser- 
mons," Oxford,  1636,  4to.  The  two  first  are  entitled, 
"jCJaxist's  Counsel  for  ending  Law-cases,"  dedicated  to  his 
kiijancian  Edmund  Prideaux,  esq.  18.  "  Nine  Sermons  pa  ' 
several  occasions,"  Oxford,  1641,  4to.  19.  "A  Synopsis 
9f  the  Coupcils/'  subjoined  to  ^'  An  easy  and  compendious 
Introduction  to  History,"  published,  as  we  have  just  no- 
ticed, in  the  name  of  his  son  Matthias* Prideaux.  20. '^  His-; 
tories  of  Successions  in  States,  Countries,  or  Families,^* 
&.C.  Oxford,  1653.  21.  "  Euehologia  :  or.  The  Doctrinet 
of.  Practical  Praying  ;  being  a  Legacy  left  to  his  daughters 
ia.  private,  directing  them  to  such  manifold  uses  of  our 
Common  Prayer  Book,  as  may  satisfy  upon  all  occasions, 
without,  looking  after  new  lights  from  extemporal  flashes," 
^e,dicated  to  his  daughters,  Sarah  Hodges  and  Elizabeth 
SuttQjn,  London,  1655,  8vo.  22.  "  The  doctrine  of  Con* 
science,  framed  according  to  the  form  in  the  Commori 
Prayer;"  left  as  a  legacy  to  his  wife,  containing  many  cases 
qf  conscience,  and  dedicated  to  Mrs.  Mary  Prideaux,  relief 
9f  the  Right  Reverend  Father  in  God  John,  late  Lord  Bi- 
shop of  Worcester,  by  T.  N.;  London,  1656,8vo.  23.  "Sa* 
cred  Eloquence :  or.  The  Art  of  Rhetoric,  as  it  is  laid  down 
in  Scripture,"  London,   1659,  8vo.  * 

PRIESTLEY  (Joseph),  a  dissenting  divine,  but  more 
justly  eminent  as  a  philosopher,  was  born  March  18, 1733,  at 
Field-head,  near  Leeds.  His  father,  a  clothier,  was  a  dis-; 
senter  of  the  Calyinistic  persuasion.  In  hi^  youth  he  was 
adopted  by  an  aunt,  who  provided  for  his  education  in  se- 
veral schools,  in  which  he  acquired  some  knowledge  of  the 
lesirned  languages,  particularly  Hebrew.  Being  intended 
for  the  ministry,  he  went,  in  1752,  to  Dr«  Ashworth's  dis<- 
i^enting  academy ,,  at  Daventry,  where  he  spent  three  years,, 
£^pd  cam^  out  from  it  an  adherent  to  the  Arian  system. 
Here  too  be  became  acquainted  with  Hartley^s  Works,  to 
whos^e  opinions  be  was  afterwards  very  partial.  He  first 
settled  as  a  minister  at  Needham- market,  in  Suffolk ;  and, 
after  thr^e  years'  residence,  removed  to  Namptwich  in 
Cheshire.     I]ere  he  also  kept  a  school,  and,  to  the  more 

1  Wood's  Athenae  and  Annalt.— Prince's  Woribies.— Walker's  Sufferings  of 
Ue  Cl^rf  y.— ^Usb«('ft  Lif«  aac(  Utters,  p.  39^9.— Puller's  Worthies, 


2d8  P  R  I  E  S  T  L  E  V- 

Common  olDJects  of  instruction,  added  experiments  in  na« 
tural  pliilosopby,  to  which  be  had  already  become  attached.* 
His  first  publication  was,  an  **  English  Grammar,"  printed' 
in  1761,  in  which  he  pointed  out  errors  in  Hume^s  lan- 
guage, which  that  author  bad  the  candour  to  rectify  in  hir 
future  editions  of  his  celebrated  history,  ' 

In  the  same  year,  he  was  invited  to  become  a  tutor  in 
languages  in  the  academy  at  Warrington  ;  and  here  he  first 
began  to  acquire  reputation  as  a  writer  in  various  branches 
iof  literature.  Several  of  his  works  had  relation  to  his  office 
in  the  academy,  which,  besides  philosophy,  included  lec- 
tures on  history  and  general  policy.  A  visit  to  London 
having  introduced  him  to  the  acquaintance  of  Di*.  FrankHn, 
Dr.  Watson,  Dr.  Price,  and  Mr.  Canton,  he  was  encou- 
raged by  them  to  execute  a  plan  he  bad  already  begun,  of 
writing  a  "  History  of  Electricity,"  which  accordingly  ap- 
peared in  1767.  It  is  rather  carelessly  and  hastily  exe- 
ecuted,  but  must  have  been  of  advantage  to  the  science. 
Almost  the  whole  of  his  historical  facts  are  taken  from  the 
Philosophical  Transactions ;  but  dt  the  end  he  gives  a  num- 
ber of  original  experiments  of  his  own.  The  most  impor- 
tant of  all  his  electrical  discoveries,  was,  that  charcoal  is  a 
conductor  of  electricity,  and  so  good  a  conductor  that  it 
vies  even  with  the  metals  themselves.  This  publication 
went  through  several  editions,  was  translated  into  foreign 
languages,  and  procured  him  the  honour  of  being  elected 
a  Fellow  of  the  Royal  Society,  as  one  of  his  biographers 
says ;  but  Iris  election  took  place  the  year  befoipe ;  and  about  • 
the  same  time  the  university  of  Edinburgh  conferred  on 
liim  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Laws.  ^ 

In  the  same  year  in  which  his  History  of  |llectricity  ap- 
peared, he  left  Warrington,  and  settled  at  Leeds  as  mi- 
nister, and  instantly  resumed  his  theological  studies,  which 
produced  a  number  of  publications,  in  which  he  amiounc^d 
the  opinions  he  bad  adopted.  -From  an  Arian  he  was  now 
become  a  Socinian,  and  not  content  with  enjoying  the 
changes  which  he  was  at^perfect  liberty  to  make,  he  began 
to  contend  with  great  zeal  against  the  authority  of  the 
established  religion.  It  was,  however,  during  his  resi- 
dence here,  that  his  attention  was  more  usefully  turned  to 
the  properties  of  fixed  air.  He  had  commenced  experi- 
me;its  on  this  subject  in  1768,  and  the  first  of  his  publican 
tions  appeared  in  1772,  in  which  he  announced  a  method 
Qf  impregnating  water  with  fixed  air.     In  the  paper  res^d* 


PRIESTLEY.  QB9 

to  the  toyal  society  in  ]  77'2,  which  obtained  the  Copley 
medal,  be  gave  an  account  of  bis  discoveries ;  and  at  the 
$ame  tiitie  announced  the  discovery  of  nitrous  air,  and  its 
application  as  a  test  of  the  purity  or  fitness  for  respiratioa 
pf  airs  getrerally.  About  this  time,  also,  he  shewed  th^' 
use  of  the  burning  lens  in  pneumatic  experiments ;  he  re« 
lated  the  discovery  and  properties  of  muriatic  acid  air ; 
added  much  to  what  was  known  of  the  airs  generated  by 
]»utrefactive  processes,  and  by  vegetable .  fermentation  ; 
and  he  determiued  many  facts  relative  to  the  diminutioa 
and  deterioration  of  air,  by  the  combustion  of  chatcoal, 
and  the  calcination  of  metal.  In  1774,  he  made  a  full 
^discovery  of  dephlogisticated  air,  which  he  procured  from 
the  oxyds  of  silver  and  lead.  This  hitherto  secret,  source 
of  animal  life  and  animal  heat,  of  which  Mayow  had  a  faint 
glimpse,  was  unquestionably  first  exhibited  by  Dr.  Priest-* 
ley,  though  it  was  discovered  about  the  same  time  by  Mr« 
Scheele,  of  Sweden.  In  1776,  his  observations  on  respi- 
ration were  read  before  the  royal  society,  in  which  he  dis*^ 
covered  that  the  common  air  inspired  was  diminished  ia. 
quantity,  and  deteriorated  in  qualit}^,  by  the  action  of  th» 
blood  on  it,  through  the  blood-vessels  of  the  Jungs;  and 
that  the  florid  red  colour  of  arterial  blood  was  communis 
cated  by  the  contact  of  air  through  the  containing  vessels* 
lu  1778  Dr.  Priestley  pursued  his  experiments  on  the  pro* 
perties  of  vegetables  growing  in  the  light  to  correct  impure 
air,  and  the  use  of  vegetation  in  this  parto^f  the  oeconomy 
of  nature ;  and  it  seems  certain  that  Dr.  Priestley  made  hia 
discoveries  on  the  subject  previously  to  those  of  Dr.  In- 
genhouz,  then  engaged  in  similar  researches.  From  tbia 
period  Dr.  Priestley  seems  to  have  attended  to  his  pneu- 
matic experiments  as  an  occupation,  devoting  to  them  a 
regular  portion  of  his  time.  To  this  attention,  among  a 
prodigious  variety  of  facts,  tending  to  shew,  the  various 
substances  from  which  gases  may  be  procured,  the  methods 
of  producing  them,  their  influence  on  each  other,  and 
their  probable  composition,  we  owe  the  discovery  of  vw 
triolic  acid  air,  of  alkaline  air,  and  of  dephlogisticated  ni- 
trous air;  or,  as  il  has  since  been  denominated,  the  gas- 
eous oxyd  of  azote,  the  subject  of  so  many  curious  and 
interesting  experiments  by  $ir  Humphrey  Davy.  To  these 
may  be  added  the  production  of  various  kinds  of  inSam-^ 
mable  air,  by  numerous  processes  th&t  bad  escaped  the 
observation  of  Mr*  Cavendish*     To  Dr.  Priestley,  we  ar« 


3D0  PR  I  E  8  T  L  E  Y. 

iodebted  for   that  fine  experiment  of  reviving  metallic 
calces  iu  inflammable  air ;  and  he  first  ascertained  the  ne-« 
oessity  for  water  to  be  present   in  the  formation  of  tbQ 
gasesy    and  the  endless  production  of  gases  from  water 
kself.     His  experiments  on  this  subject^  viz.  the  genera<« 
tion  of  air  from  water,  opened  a  new  field  for  reflection^ 
and  deserve  particular  notice.     It  had  been  already  re-* 
marked  that  water  was  necessary  to  the  generation  of  every 
species  of  gas ;  but  the  unceasing  product  of  air  from  water 
had  been  obser\red  by  no  one  before. 
..  ^*  To  eniomerate,"  says  Mr.  Kirwan,  "  Dr.  Priestley's 
diBCoreries,  would  in  fact  be  to  enter  into  a  detail  of  most 
of  those  that  hare  been  made  within  the  last  fifteen  years. 
How  many  invisible  fluids,  whose  existence  evaded  the  sa* 
gacity  of  foregoing  ages,  has  he  made  known  to  us  ?     The 
very  air  we  breathe  he  has  taught  us  to  analyse,  to  exa- 
mine, to  improve :  a  substance  so  little  known,  that  even 
the  precise  effect  of  respiration  was  an  enigma,  until  be 
explained  it.     He  first  made  known  to  us  the  proper  food 
of  vegetables,  and  in  what  the  difference  between  these 
and  animal  substances  consisted.     To  him  pharmacy  is  in- 
4lebted  for  the  method  of  making  artificial  mineral  waters^ 
as  well  as  for  a  shorter  method  of  preparing  other  medi« 
cines;  metallurgy  for  more  powerful  and  cheap  solvents ; 
and  chemistry  for  such  a  variety  of  discoveries  as  it  would 
be. tedious  to  recite — discoveries  which  have  n^w-modelled 
that  science,  and  drawn  to  it,  and  to  this  country,  the  at-' 
ten  tion  of  all  Europe,     it  is  certain,  that,  since  the  year 
1773,  the  eyes  and  regards  of  all  the  learned  bodies  in 
Europe  have  been  directed  to  this  country  by  his  means. 
Jn  every  philosophical  treatise  his  name  is  to  be  found,  and 
in  almost  every  page.     They  all  own  that  most  of  their  dis- 
coveries are  due  either  to  the  repetition  of  his  discoveries^ 
or  to  the  hints  scattered  through  his  works." 
•    The  success. of  his  '^  History  of  Electricity'*  induced  him 
to  adopt  the  design  of  treating  on  other  sciences,  in  the 
same  historical  manner ;  and  at  Leeds  he  occupied  him-' 
self  in  preparing  '^  The  History  and  present  state  of  Dis- 
coveries relating   to  Vision,  Light,  and  Colours."      The 
expences  necessary  in  composing  such  a  work  obliged  him 
to  issue  proposals  fot  publishing  it  by  subscription  ;  and  it 
appeared  in  1772,  in  one  very  large  volume  4to.     The 
sale  of  this  work  by  no  means  corresponded  with  the'  expec- 
tations formed  from  the  4)  umber  of  names  given  in  as  &ab- 


PHI  E  S  T  L  E  Y.  Mt 

scribers ;  il:  has  been  said,  not  one«-tbird  part  of  tbe  hi]iir4t 
ber  paid  for,  or  demanded  the  book  when  it  was  published* 
One  of  his  biographers  says  that  it  failed,  chiefly  because 
it  was  impossible  to  give  adequate  notions  of  many  parts  o£ 
the  dieory  of  optics  without  a  more  accurate  acquaintance 
with  mathematics  than  common  readers  can  be  supposed 
to  possess.  Perhaps  too^  the  writer  himself  was  scarcely 
competent  to  explain  the  abstruser- parts  of  this  scnence. 

After  a  residence  at  Leeds  for  six  years,  Dr.  Priestlej 
accepted  tbe  offer  of  the  eurl  of  Sfaelburne,  afterwarcb 
marquis  of  Lansdowne,  to  reside  with  his  lordship  in  tfao 
nominal  capacity  of  librarian,  but  really  as  his  literary  com«- 
panion.  The  terms  were  250^.  per  annum,  with  a  house 
for  his  family  to  live  in,  and  an  annuity  for  life  of  1 50/.  in 
the  eyent  of  their  being  separated  by  his  lordsbip^s  dying^^ 
or  changing  his  mind*  He  accordingly  fixed  bis. family  m 
a  house  at  Calne,  in  Wiltshire,  near  bis  lordship'«  seat  j 
and  during  seven  years  attended  upon  the  Doble  earl  in  his 
winter-s  residences  at  London,  and  occasionally  in  bis  ex** 
cursions)  one  of  which,  in  1774,  was  a  tour  to  the  conti-* 
nent.  This  situation  was  useful,  as  affording  Dr.  Priestley 
advantages  iir  improving  his  knowledge  of  the  world,  and; 
in  pursuing  bis  scientific  researches ;  and  as  he  was  peC'i* 
fectly  free  from  restraint^  this  was  the  period  of  sodm  of 
those  exertions  which  increased  his  reputation  as  a  philo^ 
sopher,  avid  some  of  those  which  brought  the  greatest 
obloquy  upon  him  as  a  divine.  In  1775,  he  published  bi« 
**  Exannnation  of  the  doctrine  of  Common  S^nse,  as  held/ 
by  Drs.  Reid,  Beattie,  and  Oswald,*'  in  which  he  treated 
those  gentlemen  with  a  contemptuous  arrogance,  of  wbich^ 
we  ^re  told,  he  was  afterwards  ashamed.  In  his  manner 
of  treating  his  opponents,  he  always  exhibited  a.  striking 
contrast  to  the  mild  and  placid  temper  of  his  friend  Dr^ 
Price.  After  this  he  became  the  illustrator  of  the  Hart- 
leian  theory  of  the  human  mind.  He  had,  previously  to 
this,  declared  himself  a  believer  in  the  doctrine  of  pbilo* 
sophi(ial  necessity ;  and  in  a  dissertation  prefixed  to  hii 
edition  of  Hartley,  he  expressed  some  doubts  of  the  imma^ 
teriality  of  the.  soul.  The  charge  which  these  induced 
against  him  of  infidelity  and  atheism,  seems  only  to  have 
provoked  him  to  a  more  open  avowal  of  the  same  obnoxious 
sentiments;  and  in  1777  he  published  "  Disquisitions  oft 
Matter  and  Spirit,"  in  which  be  gave  a  history  of  the  doc- 
trines concerning   the  soul,    and   openly  supported.  th« 


SOi  '^         PRIESTLEY.: 

system  wbich,  upon  due  investigatiooy  he  bad  adopted/  ft 
was  followed  by  *^  A  Defence  of  Unitarianism,  or  tbesimplei 
Humanity  of  Christ,  in  opposition  to  his  Pre<-existence$ 
and  of  the  Doctrine  of  Necessity.*^  It  seems  not  improbable 
that  these  works  produced  a  coolness  in  the  behaviour  of 
his  noble  patron,  wbich  about  this  time  he  began  to.iC'^ 
mark,  and  which  terminated  in  a  separation,  after  a  con-v 
iiection  of  seven  years,  without  any  alledged  complaint.^ 
That  the  marquis  of  Lansdowne  bad  changed  his  sentiments 
of  Dr.  Priestley  appears  from  the  evidence  of  the  latter,: 
who  informs  us,  that  when  be  canje  to  London,  be  pro-^ 
posed  to  call  on  the  noble  lord ;  but  the  latter  declined 
receiving  bis  visits.  Dr.  Priestley  adds,  that  during  his 
connection  with  bis  lordship,^  he  never  once  aided  him  in 
his  political  views,  nor  ever  wrote  a  single  political  para* 
graph.  The  friends  of  both  parties  seem  to  think  that 
there  was  no  bond  of  union  between  them,  and  his  lord-, 
ship's  attention  became  gradually  so  much  engaged  by 
politics,  that  every  other  object  of  study  lost  its  hpld.  Ac* 
cording,  however,  to  the  articles  of  agreement,  Dr.  Priest* 
ley  retained  his  annuity  for  life  of  150/.  which  was  honour* 
ably  paid  to  the  last ;  and  it  has  been  said,  that  when  the 
bond  securing  to  him  this  annuity  was  burnt  at  the  riots  q£ 
Birmingham,  bis  lordship  in  the  handsomest  manner  pre- 
sented him  with  another. 

Dr.  Priestley  now  removed  to  Birmingham,  a  situatioi^ 
which  he  probably  preferred  to  almost  any  other,  on  ac^ 
count  of  the  advantage  it  afforded  of  able  workmen  in  eveiy 
branch  requisite  in  his  experimental  inquiries,  and  of  some, 
men  distinguished  for  their  chemical  and  mechanical  know- 
ledge, particularly  Watt,  Withering,  Bolton,  and  Kier» 
Several  friends  to  science,  aware  that  the  defalcation  of 
his>  income  would  render  the  expences  of  his  pursuits  toa 
burtbensome  for  him  to  support,  joined  in  raising  an  an- 
nual subscription  for  defraying  them.  This  iissistance  her 
Without  hesitation  accepted,  considering  it  as  more  truly, 
honourable  to  hin^self  than  a  pension  from  the  crown,  which 
inight  have  been  obtained  for  him,  if  he  had  wished  it^ 
during  the  short  administration  of  the  marquis  of  Rocking-^ 
bam,  and  the  early  part  of  that  of  Mr.  Pitt.  Some  of  these, 
snbscriptions  were  made  with  a  view  to  defray  the  expences 
of  his  philosophical  experiments  only,  but  the  greater  part, 
of  the  subscribers  were  equally  friends  to  bis  theological 
atiniies. 


PRIESTLEY.  30«^ 

.  He  had  not  been  long  settled  at  Birminghs^m^  before  a 
Tacaiicy  happened  in  the  principal  dissenting  congregation^ 
and  he  was  unanimously  chosen  to  supply  it^    Theology 
now  again  occupied  a  principal  share  of  his  attention,  and 
He  published  his  **  History  of  the  Corruptions  of  Chris-' 
tians,"   and  "  History  of  early  Opinions  concerning  Jesus: 
Christ."     These  proved  to  be,  what  might  be  expected,  a. 
fertile  source  of  controversy,  into  which  he  entered  with 
his  usual  keenness,  and  he.  had  for  his  antagonists  two  men 
not  easily  repelled,  the    rev.  Mr.  Badcock,  and  Dr.  Hors» 
ley,  in  whose  articles  we  have  already  noticed  their  contro-. 
versies  with  this  polemic.     The  renewed  applications  of 
the  dissenters^  for  relief  from  the  penalties  and  disabilities, 
of  the  corporation  and  test  acts,  afforded  another  topic  of, 
discussion,  in  which  Dr.  Priestley  took  an  active  part;  and: 
he  did  not  now  scruple  to  assert  that  all  ecclesiastical  esta-^ 
blishments  were  hostile  to  the  rights  of  private  judgment,, 
and  the  propagation  of  truth,  and  therefore  represented  them, 
as  anti-christian,  and  predicted  their  downfall,  in  a  style  of 
inveteracy  which  made  him  be  considered  as  the  most  dan-, 
gerous  enemy  of  the  established  religion,  in  its  counectioa 
with  the  state.     Some  of  the  clergy  of  Birmingham  having; 
warmly  opposed  the  dissenters'  claims.  Dr.  Priestley  pub-i 
]ished  a  series  of  ^^  Familiar  Letters  to  the  Inhabitants  of- 
Birmingham,"  which,  on  account  of  their  ironical  manner, 
as  well  as  the  matter,  gave  great  offence.     In. this  state  of 
irritation^  another  cause  of  animosity  was  added  by  the  dif- 
ferent feelings   concerning  the  French  revolution.     The 
anniversary  of  the  capture  of  the  Bastille^  July  I4th,  bad; 
been  kept  as  a  festival  by  the  friends  of  the  cause  ;  an,d  it» 
celebration  was  prepared  at  Birmingham  in  1791.     Dr* 
Priestley  declined  joining  the  party  ;  but  a  popular  tumult 
ensued,  in  which  he  was  particularly  the  object  of  fury. 
Bis  house,  with  his  fine  library,  manuscripts,  and  apparatus, 
were  made  a  prey  to  the  flames,,  and  this  at^  time  when  it, 
was  generally  asserted  that  the  mobs  in  other  great  cities* 
were  rather  favourable  to  the  republican  cause.     After  ajT 
legal   investigation,  he  received  a  compensation  for  his^ 
losses,,  which  compensation  he  stated  himself,  at  2,000/. 
abort  of  the  actual  loss  he  sustained.     In  this  he  reckoned 
many  manuscripts,  the  value  of  which  no.  jury  could  esti- 
mate, and  which  indeed  could  have  been  calculated  only 
in  his  own  imagination.     He  was  not,  however,  without. 
f](lpnds,  who  purchased  for  him  a.  library  and  apparatus 
equal|  according  to  bis  own  account,  to  what  he  had  lost. 


»i  B  R  I  E  S  T  L  E  r. 

He  now  came  to  London,  and  took  up  bis  residehcci  at 
Hackney,  where  in  a  rery  short  time  he  was  chosen  to  sac- 
deed  his  deceased  friend,  Dr.  Price,  as  minister  to  a  con- 
•gregation  there ;  and  he  had  at  the  same  time  some  connec- 
tion with  the  new  college  lately  established  in  that  village. 
Resuming  his  usual  occupations  of  every  kind,  he  passed' 
sbme  time  in  comfort  and  tranquillity;  ^<  but,"  say  hift' 
afpologists,  ^'he  soon  found  public  prejudice!  following  him 
in  every  path,  and  himself  and  hh  famity  molested  by  the' 
rude  assaults  of  malignity,  which  induced  him  finally  to 
quit  a  country  so  hostile  to  his  person  and  principled."  On 
the  other  hand,  we  are  told,  that,  "  had  Dr.  Priestley  con- 
ducted himself  at  Hackney  like  a  peaceable  ihem'ber  of  so- 
ciety, and  in  his  appeals  to  the  public  on  the  subject  of 
the  riots  at  Birmingham,  expressed  himself  with  less  acn- 
mony  of  the  government  of  the  country,  the  prejudices  of 
the  people  would  very  quickly  have  given  way  t6  compas- 
sion. But  when  he  persisted  in  accusing  the  magistrates' 
amd  clergy,  and  even  the  supreme  government  of  his  coun- 
try, of  what  had  been  perpetrated  by  a  lawless'  mob,  and' 
afppealed  from  the  people,  and  even  the  lawti  of  England, 
to  the  societies  of  the  *  Friends  of  the  Coi^stitution'  at  Pa- 
ris, Lyons,  Nantz,  &c.  to  the  acadenay  of  sciences  at  Paris, 
when  Condorcet  was  secretary,  and  to  the  united  Irishmen 
of  Dublin,  how  was  it  possible  that  the  prejudit^es  of  loyaf 
Englishmen  could  subside?'* 

Whichever  of  these  opinions  is  the  true  one,  it  is  cer- 
tain that  Dr.  Priestley  felt  his  situation  uncomfortable,  and* 
accordingly,  in'  the  month  of  April  1794,  embarked  for 
America^  and  took  up  his  residence  at  the  town  of  North- 
umberland, in  Pennsylvania.  It  was  a  considerable  la- 
bour, in  this  remote  situation,  to  get  a  well-furnished 
library  and  chemical  laboratory  ;  but  he  at  length  sur-- 
mounted  all  obstacles,  and  effected  his  pulrpose.  He  was 
offered  a  chemical  professorship  in  Philadelphia,  which  be 
declined,  not  meaning  to  engage  in  any  public  duty,  in 
order  that  he  might  be  enabled  to  devote  his  whole  time  to 
his  accustomed  pursuits,  in  which  he  soon  shewed  his  phi- 
losophical friends  that  he  was  not  idle.  Here,  hov^ever^^ 
be  was  not  generally  so  well  received  as  he  expected ;  and' 
during  the  administration  of  Mr.  Adams,  he  was  regarded^ 
by  the  American  government  witht  suspicion  aind  dislike  : 
but  that  of  Mr.  Jefferson  was  afterwards  very  friendly  to' 
Um.    A  severe  illness,  which  he  suffered  in  Pbiladelphiay' 


I>  R  I  E  S  T  L  E  Y.  305 

laid  the  foundation  of  a  debility  of  his  digestive  organs, 
which  gradually  brought  on  a  state  of  bodily  weakness^ 
while  his  mind  continued  in  full  possession  of  ail  its  facuU 
ties.  Of  his  last  illness  and  death,  we  shall  subjoin  the 
account  as  given  in  the  Philadelphia  Gazette. 

^*  Since  his  illness  at  Philadelphia,  in  the  year  1801  he 
^evcr  regained  his  foinmer  good  state  of  health.  His  com- 
plaint was  constant  indigestion,  and  a  difficulty  of  swallow- 
ing food  of  any  kind.  But  during  this  period  of  geoeral 
debility,  he  was  busily  employed  in  printing  his  Church 
History,  and  the  first  volume  of  his  Notes  on  th^  Scrip- 
^iM-es,  and  in  making  new-  and  original  experiments.  Du- 
ring this  period,  likewise,  he  wrote  his  pamphlet  of  J^^us 
„TOd  Socrates  compared,  and  reprinted  his  Essay  on  Pblo^ 
gtston.  ,  '^  . 

**  From  about  the  beginning  of  November  1805,  to  the 
middle  of  January  1804,  his  complaint  grew  more  serious; 
yet,  by  judicious  medical  treatment,  and  strict  attention  to 
diet,  he,  after  some  time,  seemed,  if  not  gaining  strength, 
at  least  not  getting  worse;  and  his  friends  fondly  hopedi 
^bat  his  health  would  continue  to  improve  as  the  season 
advanced.     He,  however,  considered  his  life  as  very  pre- 
carious.    Even  at  this  time,    besides  his   miscellaneous 
reading,  which  was  at  all  times  very  extensive,  he  read 
through  all  the  works  quoted  in  his  "  Comparison  of  the 
different    Systems  of  Grecian  philosophers  with  Chris- 
tianity ;•*  composed  that  work,  and  transcribed  the  whole 
of  it  in  less  than  thre^  months ;  so  that  he  has  left  it  ready 
forlthe  press.     During  this  period  he  composed,  in  one 
^ay,  his  Second  Reply  to  Dr.  Linn. 

"  In  the  last  fortnight  of  January,  his  fits  of  indigestion 
became  morie  alarming,  his  legs  swelled,  and  his  weakness 
increased.  Within  two  days  of  his  death,  he  became  so 
weak,  that  he  could  walk  but  a  little  way,  and  that  with 
great  diflSculty.  For.  some  time  he  found  himself  unable  to 
speak;  but,  on  recovering  a  little,  he  told  his  friends;  that 
be  had  never  felt  more  pleasantly  during  his  whole  life- 
time, than  during  the  time  he  was  unable  to  speak.  He 
was  fully  sensible  that  he  had  not  long  to  liv^,  yet  talked 
whh  cheerfulness  to  all  who  called  on  him.  In  the  course 
of  the  day  he  expressed  his  thankfulness  at  being  per- 
mitted to  die  quietly  in  his  family,  without  pain,  and  with 
every  convenience  and  comfort  that  he  could  wish  for.  He 
ilwelt  upon  the  peculiarly  happy  situation  in  which  it  had 
Vol.  XXV.  X 


806  PRIESTL6V. 

§ 

pleased  the  Divine  Being  to  place  hitn  in  life,  and  tbe 
great  advantage  be  had  enjoyed  in  the  acquaintance  and 
friendship  of  some  of  the  best  and  wisest  men  of  the  age  in 
tvbicb  he  lived,  and  the  sati^action  he  derived  from  having 
led  an  useful  as  well  as  happy  life.  He  this  day  gave  di«- 
rections  about  printing  the  remainder  of  bis  Notes  on 
Scripture  (a  work,  in  the  completion  of  which  he  was 
much  interested),  and  looked  over  the  first  sheet  of  the 
third  volume,  after  it  was  corrected  by  those  who  were  to 
attend  to  its  completion,  and  expressed  his  satisfaction  at 
die  manner  of  its  being  executed. 

^*  On  Sunday,  the  5tb,  he  was  much  weaker,  but  sat  np 
in  an  arm-chair  for  a  few  minutes.  He  desired  that  John, 
chap.  xi.  might  be  read  to  him :  he  stopped  the  reader  at 
the  45th  verse,  dwelt  for  some  time  on  the  advantage  he 
had  derived  from  reading  the  Scriptures  daily,  and  recom* 
aiended  this  practice,  saying,  that  it  would  prove  a  sourci 
of  the  purest  pleasure.  ^  We  shall  all  (said  he)  »eet 
finally;  we  only  require  diflerent  degrees  of  discipline 
suited  to  oiir  different  tempers,  to  prepare  us  for  final  hap^^ 

piness.'     Mr. coming  into  his  room^,  he  said,  *  Yon 

iee,  sir,  I  am.  still  living.*     Mr. observed,  *  that  he 

would  always  live.'  *  Yes,  I  believe  I  shall;  we  shall  meet 
again  in  another  and  a  better  world.'     He  said  this  with 

great  animation,  laying  hold  of  Mr. ^'s  hand  in  bodi 

his  own.  After  evening  prayers,  when  his  grand-children 
were  brought  to  his  bed-side,  he  spoke  to  them  sepai'ately, 
tod  exhorted  them  to  continue  to  love  each  other,  &c.  ^  I 
am  going  (added  he)  to  sleep  as  well  as  you,  for  death  it 
only  a  good  long  sound  sleep  in  the  grave,  and  we  shall 
meet  again.' 

*<  On  Monday  morning,  the  9th  of  February,  on  being 
asked  how  he  did,  he  answered  in  a  faint  voice,  that  he 
had  no  pain,  but  appeared  fainting  away  gradually.  About 
eight  o'clock,  he  desired  to  have  three  pamphlets  which 
had  been  looked  out  by  his  directions  the  evening  before^ 
He  then  dictated  as  clearly  and  distinctly  as  he  had  ever 
done  in  his  life,  the  additions  and  alterations  which  he 
wished  to  have  made  in  each.  M-- took  down  the  sub- 
stance of  what  he  said,  which  was  read  to  him.  He  ob- 
served, *  Sir,  you  have^put  in  your  own  language,  I  wish 
it  to  be  minej*  He  then  repeated  over  again^  nearly  word 
for  word,  what  he  had  before  said,  and  when  it  wastrans- 
dribed,  and  read  over  to  him,  he  said,  VThat  is  right,  I 
have  now  done.' 


^ 


I 

^  Atit^ttt  half  M  faoih"  after,  be  desired  thd[t  he  might'  be 
Mih^fred  to  a;  cot.  About  ten  mhitrte!^  ^ftec  he  was  re« 
^oved  t<y  it,  he  died  (Feb.  6^  1804) ;  but  breathed  his 
Hsi  SO'  easH^)  ttmt  those  wht>  were  sitting  close  to  him  did 
Hot  fnfimediately^  perceive^  it.  Re  had  pilt  his  hatid  to  hfs 
lace,  ^hich  prerertted  them  ftoth  bbsertidg  it'* 

Therte  are  many  circutnstances  in  this  account  which  tlie 
tead^r  will  consider'  with  prbfotmd  attention;    It  ii  unne- 
cessary to  point  them  oitt,  6t  to  attempt  a  lengthened  cha- 
I'axrter  of  Dr.  Priei^ley.     It  ha)3  been  siaid  with  ttuth  that 
of  his  abilities,  none  cart*  hesitate  to'  pronounce  that  they 
trt  of  first-rate  excellence.     His  philosophical  inquiries 
and  publications  claim  the'  greatest  distinction,  and  have 
ittatenally  c6ntribiited  ta  the  advancement  of  science.     As 
iktl  experimental  philosopher,  he  was  among  the  first  oif 
his  age.     As  a  divine,  bad  he  prbved  as  diligent  in  propa- 
igftting  truth  as  in  disseminating  errbr,  in  establishing  the 
gospel  in  the' minds  of  men,  instead  of  shaking  their  be- 
lief irr  th^  doctrines  of  revelation,  perhaps  few  characters 
of  the  last  century  would  have  ranked  higher  as  learned 
ttien,  or  have  been  held  in  greater  estimation.     Such,  how- 
ever, was  not  the  character  of  his  theological  writings^ 
which,  as  Br.  Johnson  said,  were"  calculated  to  unsettle 
every  thing,  but  to  settle  nothing.     All  this  accords  with 
the  seritlihents  of  the  great  majority,  of  the  nation,  with  re- 
spect to  Br.  Priestley  as  a  divine,  although  we  are  aware 
th&t  the  epithet  of  bigot  will  be  applied  to  him  who  records 
the  fact.    On  the  other  hand,  in  dwelling  on  Dr.  Piriesti- 
ley'd  character  as  a  philosojiher,  his  friends  may  take  the 
itiokt  effectual  method  of  reconciling  all  parties,  and  hand- 
ing down  his  fame  undiminished  to  the  latest  posterity. 
We  have  enumerated  his  principal  Works  in  the  preceding 
Sketch,  but  the  whole  amount  to  about  70  volumes,  or 
tnnets,  in  8vo.     An  analysis  of  then!  is  given  in  the  "  Life>** 
to  which  we  are  principally  indebted  for  the  above  par^ 
ticular^.  * 

.  l^RIM ATieC  lO  (Francis) ,  an  eminent  ftdliari  painter, 
wa^  fl^scended  fVom  a  noble  family  in  fiologiia,  where  he 
was  born  in  1490.  His  friends,  perceiving  that  he  had  a 
strong  inclination  fbt  design,  permitted  him  to  go  to  Mao- 
nlua,  where  he  was  six  yeard  i,  disciple  of  Julio  Romano, 
who  was  then  otni&menting  the  apartments  of  the  palace 

'    "  Memoir^,"  paitJy  written  by  liiraself,  ai)d  partljr  by  (ijs  Soa,  1806-7, 
Sfoli.  8vo.-^eiit.  Mag:  LXXIV.— Rees'i  CyclopeOiai  «c. 

X  2 


SOS  PRIESTLEY. 

del  Te. .  In  this  time  be  became  so  skilful,  tbat  he  repre* 
sented  battles  in  stucco  and  basso  relievo,  better  than  any 
of  the  young  painters  at  Mantua,  who  were  Julio^s  pupila. 
He  assisted  Julio  in  executing  his  designs ;  and  Francis  L  of 
France  sending  to  Rome  for  a  man  that  understood  working 
in  stucco,  Primaticcio  was  the  person  chosen  for  this  service^ 
and  he  adorned  Fontainbleau,  and  most  of  the  palaces  in 
France,  with  his  compositions.     The  king  put  such  confi^ 
dence  in  him,  that  he  sent  him  to  Rome  to  buy  antiques, 
in  1540 ;  on  which  occasion  he  brought  back  one  hundred 
and  fourscore  statues,  with  a  great  number  of  busts.     He 
bad  moulds  niade  by  Giacomo  Baroccio  di  Vignola,  of  the 
statues  of  Venus,  Laocoon,   Commodus,  the  Tiber,  the 
Kile,  the  Cleopatra  at  Belvidere,  and  Trajan^s  Pillar,  in 
order  to  have  them  cast  in  brass.    After  the  death  of  Rosso^ 
who  was  his  rival,  he  succeeded  him  in  the  place  of  super- 
intendant  of  the  buildings ;  and  in  a  little  tioie  finished  the 
gallery  which  his  predecessor  bad  begun.     He  brought  so 
'many  statues  of  marble  and  brass  to  Fontainbleau,  that  it 
seemed  another  Rbme,  as  well  for  the  number  of  the  antique^ 
as  for  his  own  works  in  painting  and  in  stucco.     He  was  bo 
imuch  esteemed  in  France,  that  nothing  of  any  consequence 
\iras.  done  without  him,  which  had  relation  to  painting  or 
building;  and  he  even  directed  the  preparations  for  all 
^festivals,  tournaments,  and  masquerades.     He  was  made 
abbot  of  St.  Martin  at  Troyes,  and  lived  with  such  splen- 
dour, that  he  was  respected  as  a  courtier  as  well  as  a 
painter.  '  He  and  Rosso  taught  the  French  a  good  style} 
for,  before  their  time,  what  they  had  done  in  the  arts  was 
very  inconsiderable,  and  had  something  of  the  Gothic  in  iti 
He  died  in  1 570,  at  the  age  of  eighty,  after  having  been  fa- 
voured and  caressed  in  four  reigns. 

The  frescoes  of  the  palace  del  Te  by  Primaticcio,  cannot 
lioi^,  says  Mr.  Fuseli,  with  certainty  be  discriminated.  His 
oil-pictures  are  of  the  utmost  rarity  in  Italy,  and  even  at 
Bologna.  In  the  great  gallery  Zambeccari  there  is  a  con- 
cert by  him,  with  three  female  figures,  a  most  enchanting 
performance.  The  eye  is  equally  charmed  by  the  forms, 
the  attitudes,  the  tone  of  colour,  the  breadth,  taste,  and 
ease  of  the  draperies,  and  the  original,  air  of  the  whole. 
T^icolo  Abbiiti,  the  partner  of  his  works,  though  not  his 
Ischolar,  was  left  by  him  to  terminate  what  remained  udt 
finished  of  bis  plans  in  France.' 

'  I  Aif  «nyiUe,  toI.  II.— PUkingWn  by  Fiselu 


1 


P  R  I  N  G  L  E.  309 

'  PRINGLE  (Sir  John),  baronet,  president  of  the  Royal 
Society,  was  born  at  Stichel-bouse,  in  the  county  of  Rox- 
burgh, North  Britain,  April  10,  1707.  His  father  was  sir 
John  Pringle,  of  Sticbel,  hart,  and  his  mother,  whose  name 
was  Magdalen  Eliott,  was  sister  to  sir  Gilbert  Eliott  of  Stobs^ 
bart  Both  the  families  from  which  he  descended  were 
▼exy  ancient  and  honourable  in  the  south  of  Scotland,  and 
were  in  great  esteem  for  their  attachment  to  the  religion 
and  liberties  of  their  country,  and  for  their  piety  and  vir« 
toe  in  private  life.  He  was  the  youngest  of  several  sons, 
three  of  whom,  besides  himself,  arrived  to  years  of  matu- 
rity. His  grammatical  education  he  received  at  home, 
nnder  a  private  tutor ;  and  after  having  made  such  a  pro- 
gress as  qualified  him  for  academical  studies,  he  was  re- 
moved to  the  university  of  St.  Andrew's,  where  he  was  put 
under  the  immediate  care  of  Mr.  Francis  Pringle,  professor 
of  Greek  in  the  college,  and  a  near  relation  of  his/athen 
Having  continued  there  some  years,  he  went  to  Edinburgh 
in  Oct.  1727,  for  the  purpose  of  studying  physic,  that  being 
the  profession  which  he  now  determined  to  follow.  At 
Edinburgh^  however,  he  stayed  only  one  year,  the  reason 
of  which  was,  that  he  was  desirous  of  going  to  Leyden,  at 
that  time  the  most  celebrated  school  of  medicine  in  Eu*- 
rope.  Boerhaave,  who  had  brought  that  university  into 
reputation,  was  considerably  advanced  in  years,  and  Mr. 
Pringle  was  unwilling,  by  delay,  to  expose  himself  to  the 
danger  of  losing  the  benefit  of  that  great  man's  lectures. 
For  Boerhaave  he  had  a  high  and  just  respect:  but  it  was 
not  his  disposition  and  character  to  become  the  implicit 
and  systematic  follower  of  any  man,  however  able  and  dis- 
tinguished. While  he  studied  at  Leyden,  he  contracted 
an  intimate  friendship  with  Van  Swieten,  who  afterwards 
became  so  famous  at  Vienna,  both  by  his  practice  and 
writings^.  Van  Swieten  was  not  only  Pringle's  acquaint- 
ance and  fellow-student  at  the  university,  but  also  his  phy- 
sician when  he  happened  to  be  seized  there  with  a  fit  of 
lEfickness ;  yet  on  this  occasion  he  did  not  owe  his  recoviery 
to  bis  friend's  advice ;  for  Van  Swieten  having  refused  to 
give  him  the  bark,  another  person  prescribed  it,  and  he  was 
cured.  When  he  had  gone  through  his  proper  course  of 
studies  at  Leyden,  he  was  admitted,  Julj^  20,  1730,  to  his 
doctor  of  physic's  degree.  His  inaugural  dissertation, 
"  De  marcore  senili,"  was  printed*  Upon  quitting  Ley- 
den, Dr.  Pringle  settlod  as  a  physician  at  Edinburgh,  where 


HQ  P  R  I  N  G  L  E. 

»  •  *  *  . 

he  gfAned  the  e&teem  of  the  magUtrates  of  dpe  eiijf  ^ nd 
of  the  professiors  of  the  colleg^y  ky  his  abiUties  and  gop4 
conduct;  and^  su^h  vf^s  Ijiis  known  acquaioiaiiee  with  etibiv 
cal  subjects,  that,  March  28,  1734,  he  was  apppipte(},  by 
the  magistrates  and  counc^  of  the  jcity  of  £ijllubur^b>.  to  bf^ 
joint  prof/es^or  pi  {^neumati/cs  and  mora}  philosophy  witii 
Mr.  Scott,  during  that  gentleman's  life,  and  S9]e  prpfes^|r 
^fter  hM  decease ;  and,  in  consequence  of  thi^  appoiotiu^J^tp 
Pr.  P^ingle  wa^f  admittejd,  on  the  sa^pe  day^  a  no^oobef  of 
the  un^yer^ity.  Ii^  discl^grging  the  duties  of  thi^  n^sff  eiBt 
pjoyo^ep):,  his  te^t-bop^  wai^  <<  Puffejidorff  de  Q^aip  Ho^ 
minis  et  Civis,*'  agreeably  to  ithe  mietbod  he  pursue^ 
through  life,  of  makiqg  fact  and  experiment  the  basis  of 
8ci^p.CjB.  Dr.  Pringle  continued  in  the  practice  pf  phy^ 
^t  Edipbi^rgb,  and  ip  perfor^iiug  fbhe  obligations  of  his  pro^ 
fessprship,  till  1742,  ^\xen  he  was  appointed  physician  tp 
the  earl  of  Stair,  who  then  con>nianded  the  3ritisb  army, 
^or  t}us  appoiutfpent  he  was  chiefly  indebted  to  his  friei)4 
Dr.  SteyepsQp,  an  epiipent  physiciao  at  Edi^bi^rgh,  wha 
kad  ap  intiniate  acquaintance  with  lofd  Staijr.  By  the  in<v 
fQirest  of  this  Pobleman,  Pr.  Pringle  was  CQp»titpted,  Auj^ 
^^f  ^742,  physiician  to  the  miliary  bpspita^  ip  Flapder^^ 
apd  it  was  provided  in  Ithe  ooaimisision,  that  bp  should  re-? 
^eive  9  salary  pf  twenty  shiljipgs  a«day,  apd  be  entitled  ibqi 
h^lf-pay  for  life,  0e  did  not,  on  this  pcpasioii,  resign  his 
professorship  of  ipprai  philosophy ;  the  university  permitted 
|)im  to  relfaiu  it,  and  Messrs*  Muirhead  and  Cl^ghpro  werQ 
allowed  tp  teach  in  bis  absf^pce,  a^  )ong  as  he  continued  to 
request  itf  The  f^i&efpplary  attention  wt^ich  Dr.  Pringl^ 
paid  tp  hi^  <lnty  a^  ap  a^my  pbysiciap  is  apparent  from 
^very  pag^  of  hi^  **  Tr^atjse  on  .the  Diseases  pf  the  Army.'' 
Opf^  thipgi  howevpr,  de^ierye^  particularly  to  be  m^ptioped, 
fis  it  is  highly  probable  that  if:  was  owing  to  bis  suggestion^ 
I|  b^d  hitherto  h^ep  u^ualj  for  the  security  pf  the  sick, 
ivhep  the  ep^my  w^s  near,  to  remove  them  a  great  way 
froB|  the  camp ;  the  consequence  pf  which  was,  that  many 
fver^  lost  befpre  thf^y  camp  under  th^  care  of  the  physi^^ 
^ians.  The  earl  of  Stair,  beipg  sensible  of  this  evil,  prp- 
ppsed  tp  the  duke  de  Noaillps,  when  the  army  was  eon 
fsatnppd^t  Aschaffeuburg,  in  1743,  that  the  ho;^pitals  op 
both  sides  should  be  cppsidered  ^s  san^tparies  for  the  sick,^ 
s^nd  m.utually  protected.  The  French  general,  whp  wa^ 
distinguished  fpr  hi?  humapity^  readily  agrepd  tp  the.  pro « 
ppaal,  and  tppk  the  i^rst  oppor^upity  pf  shewing  a  propei; 


P  R  I  N  G  L  E.  ail 

c«gard  to  bis  engigement.  At  the  battle  of  Dettiiigei^ 
Dr.  PxiDgle  was  iu  a  coach  with  lord  Carteret  during  the 
whole  time  of  the  engagement,  and  the  situation  they  were 
placed  in  was  dangerous.  They  had  been  taken  unawares^ 
amd  were  kept  betwixt  the  fire  of  the  line  in  frpnt,  a 
French  battery  on  the  left,  and  a  wood  full  of  iiussars  on 
the  right.  The  coach  was  occasionally  shifted,  to  avoid 
being  in  the  eye  of  the  battery.  3opn  after  this  event. 
Dr.  Pringle  met  with  no  small  afBiction  in  the  retirenoent 
pf  his  great  friend,  the  earl  of  Stair>  from  the  army.  He 
offered  to  resign  with  his  noble  patron,  but  was  not  per- 
mitted. He^  therefore,  contented  himself  with  testifying 
bis  respect  and  gratitude  to  his  lordship,  by  accompanying 
him  forty  miles  on  his  return  to  England ;  after  which  he 
took  leave  of  him  with  the  utmost  regret. 

But  though  Dr,  Pringle  was  thus  deppved  of  the  imme* 
diate  protection  of  a  nobleman  who  knew  and  esteemed 
his  worth,  his  conduct  in  the  dqties  of  his  station  procured 
him  effectual  support.  He  attended  the  army  in  Flanders, 
through  the  campaign  of  1744,  and  so  powerfully  recom- 
mended himself  to  the  duke  of  Cumberland,  that,  in  the 
spring  following,  March  11,  he  had  a  commission  from  his 
royal  highness,  appointing  him  physic.ian  general  to  his 
majesty's  forces  in  the  Low  Countries,  and  parts  beyond 
the  seas ;  and  on  the  next  day  he  received  a  second  coiin- 
missioo  ifrom  the  duke,  by  which  he  was  constituted  phy« 
siciau  to  the  royal  hospitals  in  the  same  countries.  On 
March  5,  he  resigned  bis  professorship  in  consequence  pf 
these  promotions.  In  1745  he  was  with  the  army  in  Flan- 
ders,  but  was  recalled  from. that  country  in  the  latter  end 
of  the  year,  to  attend  the  forces  which  were  to  be  setnt 
against  the  rebels  in  Scotland.  At  this  time  he  had, the 
honour  of  being  chosen  F.  R.  S.  Dr.  Pringle,  at  the  be- 
ginning of  1746,  in  his  official  capacity,  accompanied  the 
duke  of  Cumberland  in  his  expedition  against  the  rebels, 
und  remained  with  the  forces,  after  the  battle  of  Culloden, 
till  their  return  to  England,  in  the  middle  of  August.  We 
do  not  find  that  he  was  in  Flanders  during  any  part  of  that 
.year.  In  1747  and  1743,  he  again  attended  the  army 
abroad ;  and  in  the  aatomn  of  1748  he  embarked  with  the 
forces  for  England,  upon  the  conclusion  of  the  treaty  of 
Aix-la-Ohapeile.  From  that  time  he .  principally  resided 
}fk  Londpn,  where,  from  his  known  skill  and  experiencej 
Mpd  the  reputation  he  had  acquired,  he  mcight  reasonably 


512  P  R  I  N  G  L  E. 

Expect  to  succeed  as  a  physician.  In  April  1749,  Dfl 
Pringle  was  appointed  physician  in  ordinary  to  his  royal 
highness  the  duke  of  Cumberland.  In  1750  he  published, 
in  a  letter  to  Dr,  Mead,  ^^Observations  on  the  Gaol  or 
Hospital  Fever.^' .  This  work,  which  passed  through  two 
editions,  and  was  occasioned  by  the  gadl-distemper  that 
broke  out  at  that  time  in  the  city  of  London,  was  well  re* 
ceived  by  the  medical  world,  though  he  himself  afterwards 
considered  it  as  having  been  hastily  written.  After  sup- 
plying, some  things  that  were  omitted,  and  rectifying  a 
few  mistakes  that  were  made  in  it,  he  included  it  in  his 
grand  work  on  the  **  Diseases  of  the  Army,'*  where  it  coni 
stitutesf  the  seventh  chapter  of  the  third  part  of  that  trea« 
tise.  It  was  in  the  same  yeiar  that  Dr.  Pringle  began  to 
communicate  to  the  Royal  Society  his  famous  *^  Experi^ 
xnents  upon  Septic  and  Antiseptic  substances^  with  re- 
marks  relating  to  their  use  in  the  theory  of  Medicine.*' 
These  experiments,  which  comprehended  several  papers, 
were  read  at  different  meetings  *of  the  society ;  the  first  in 
June,  and  the  two  next  in  the  November  following ;  three 
inore  in  the  course  of  1751 ;  and  the  last  in  Feb.  1752. 
Only  the  three  first  numbers  were  printed  in  the  *^  Philo-i 
sophical  Transactions,"  as  Dr.  Pringle  had  subjoined  the 
whole,  by  way  of  appendix,  to  his  **  Observations  on  the 
Diseases  of  the  Army.*'  These  experiments  lipon  septic 
and  antiseptic  substances,  which  have  accompanied  eveiy 
subsequent  edition  of  the  treatise  just  mentioned,  pro* 
cured  for  him.  the  honour  of  sir  Godfrey  Copley's  gold 
medal.  Besides  this,  they  gained  him  a  high  and  just  re-^ 
putation,  as  an  experimental  philosopher.  In  February 
1753,  he  presented  to  the  Royal  Society  "'An  Account  of 
several  Persons  seized  with  the  Gaol  Fever  by  working  in 
Newgate ;  and  of  the  manner  by  which  the  Infection  waft 
communicated  to  one  entire  family."  This  is  a  very  cu'* 
rious  paper;  and  was  deemed  of  such  importance  by  the 
excellent  Dr.  Stephen  Hales,  that  he  requested  the  author's 
permission  to  have  it  published,  for, the  common  good  of 
the  kingdom,  in  the  "  Gentleman's  Magazine ;"  where  it 
was  accordingly  printed,  previous  to  its  appearance  in  the 
Transactions.  Dr.  Pringle's  next  communication  was, 
*^  A  reniarkable  Case  of  Fragility,  Flexibility,  and  Disso* 
lutiou  of  the  Bones."  In  the  49th  volume  of  the  ^'  Trans- 
actions," we  meet  with  accounts  which  he  had  given  of  an 
earthquake  felt  at  Brussels^  of  another  at  Glasgow  and 


^  R  I  N  G  L  e!,  3li 

t)unbarton;  and  of  the  agitation  of  the  waters,  Nov.  1^ 
1156,  in  Scotland  and  at  Hamburgh.  The  50th  volume 
contains.  Observations  by  him  on  the  case  of  lord  Walpole^ 
of  Woolterton ;  and  a  relation  of  the  virtues  of  Soap  id 
dissolving  the  Stone,  as  experienced  by  the  reverend  Mr. 
Matthew  Simson.  The  next  volume  is  enriched  with  two 
of  the  doctors  articles,  of  considerable  length,  as  well  as 
value.  In  the  first,  be  has  collected,  digested,  and  re- 
lated th6  different  accounts  that  had  been  given  of  a  very 
extraordinary  Bery  meteor,  which  appeared  on  Sunday  the 
26th  of  November,  1758,  between  eight  and  nine  at  night; 
and,  in  the  second,  he  has  made  a  irariety  of  remarks 
upon  the  whole,  in  which  no  small  degree  of  philosophical 
sagacity  is  displayed.  It  would  be  tedious  to  mention  the 
various  papers,  which,  bbth  before  and  after  he  became 
president  of  the  Royal  Society,  were  transmitted  through 
bis  hands.  Besides  his  communications  in  the  Philosophi- 
cal Transactions,  he  wrote,  in  the  Edinburgh  Medical 
Essays,  Volume!  the  fifth,  an  ^'  Account  of  the  success  of 
the  Vitrum  erratum  Antimonii.'* 

April  14,  1752,  Dr.  Pririgle  married  Charlotte,  the  se- 
cond daughter  of  Dr.  Oliver,  an  eminent  physician  at 
Bath,  and  who  had  long  been  at  the  head  of  his  profession 
in  that  City.  This  connection  did  not  last  long,  the  lady 
dying  in  the  space  of  a  few  years.  Nearly  about  the  time 
of  his  marriage,  Dr.  Pringle  gave  to  the  public  the  first 
edition  of  his  "  Observations  on  the  Diseases  of  the  Army.*' 
it  was  reprinted  in  the  year  following,  with  some  additions! 
To  the  third  edition,  which  was  greatly  improved  from  the 
further  experience  the  author  had  gained  by  attending  the 
camps,  for  three  seasons,  in  England,  an  Appendix,  was 
annexed,  in  answer  to  some  remarks  that  professor  De 
Haen,  of  Vienna,  and  M.  Gaber,  of  Turin,  had  made  on 
the  work.  A  similar  attention  was  paid  to  the  improve- 
ment of  the  treatise,  in  every  subsequent  edition.  The 
work  is  divided  into  three  parts ;  the  first  of  which,  being 
principally  historical,  may  be  read  with  pleasure  by  every 
gentlemati.  The  latter  parts  lie  more  within  the  province 
of  physicians,  who  are  the  best  judges  of  the  merit  of  the 
performance ;  and  to  its  merit  the  most  decisive  and  am- 
ple testimonies  have  been  given.  It  hath  gone  through 
seven  editions  at  home  ;  and  abroad  it  has  been  translated 
into  the  French,  German,  and  Italian  languages.  Scarcely 
kny  medical  writer  bath  mentioned  it  without  some  tribute! 


914  P  R  I  N  G  L  £. 

of  applause*  Ludwig,  in  tbe  second  volume  of  bis  '<  Coow 
mentarii  de  Rebus  in  Scienda  Natural!  et  Medicina  gestis^" 
speaks  of  it  highly;  and  gives  an  account  of  it,  which 
comprehends  sixteen  pages.  The  celebrated  and  eminent 
baron  Haller,  in  his  **  Bibliotheca  Anatomica,^'  with  a 
particular  reference  to  the  treatise  we  are  speaking  of, 
styles  the  author  ^^  Vir  illustris — de  omnibus  bonis  artibus 
bene  meritus.''  It  is  allowed  to  be  a  classical  book  in  the 
physical  line ;  and  has  placed  the  writer  of  it  in  a  rank 
with^the  famous  Sydenham.  Like  Sydenham,  too,  he  has 
become  eminent,  not  by  the  quantity,  but  the  value  of  his 
productions ;  and  has  afforded  a  happy  instance  of  the 
great  and  deserved  fame  which  may  sometimes  arise  from 
a  single  performance.  The  reputation  that  Dr.  Pringle 
gained  by  his  ^^  Observations  on  the  Diseases  of  the  Army/' 
was  not  of  a  kind  which  is  ever  likely  to  diminish.  The 
utility  of  it,  however,  was  of  still  greater  importance  than 
its  reputation.  From  the  time  that  he  was  appointed  a 
physician  to  the  army,  it  seems  to  have  been  his  grand 
object  to  lessen,  as  far  as  lay  in  his  power,  the  calamities 
of  war^;  nor  was  he  without  considerable  success  in  his 
jipble  and  benevolent  design.  By  the  instructions  received 
from  this  book,  the  late  general  Melville,  who  united  with 
bis  military  abilities  the  spirit  of  philosophy,  and  the  spirit 
of  humanity,  was  enabled,  when  governor  of  the  Neutral 
Islands,  to  be  singularly  useful.  By  taking  care  to  have 
bis  men  always  lodged  in  large,  open,  and  airy  apartments, 
and  by  never  letting  his  forces  remain  long  enough  in 
swampy  places,  to  be  injured  by  the  noxious  air  of  such 

J)]aces,  the  general  was  the  happy  instrument  of  saving  the 
ives  of  seven  hundred  soldiers.  Ijn  1763,  Dr.  Pringle  was 
chosen  one  of  the  council  of  the  Royal  Society.  Though 
be  had  not  for  some  years  been  called  abroad,  he  still  held 
his  place  of  physician  to  the  army;  and,  in  the  war  tha( 
began  in  1755,  attended  the  camps  in  England  during  three 
reasons.  This  enabled  him,  from  further  experience,  to 
correct  some  of  his  former  observations,  and  to  give  addi« 
(ional  perfection  to  the  third  edition  of  his  great  work.  In 
1758,  he  entirely  quitted  the  service  of  the  army;  and 
being  now  determined  to  fix  wholly  in  London,  be  was 
admitted  a  licentiate  of  the  college  of  physicians,  July  5, 
it)  the  same  year.  The  reason  why  this  matter  was  so  long 
delayed  might  probably  be,  his  not  having  hitherto  come 
to  a  final  resolution  with  regard  to  his  settlement  in  tb^ 


P  R  I  N  G  L  E.  SIS 

metropolis.  After  the  accession  of  king  George  III.  td 
tbe  tbrpne  of  Great  Brits^in,  Dr.  Pringle  was  appointed,  in 
176^,  pby9ician  to  tbe  oueen^s  household  ;  and  this  honour 
was  succeeded,  by  his  being  constituted,  in  1763,  physi- 
<:ian  extraordioary  to  her  majesty.  In  April  in  the  same 
ye^r,  be  had  been  chosen  a  member  of  the  Academy  of 
Sciences  at  Haarlem  ;  and,  June  following,  he  was  elected 
a  fellow  of  the  Royal  College  of  Physicians,  London.  la 
j^h^  succeeding  November,  he  was  returned  on  the  ballot^' 
1^  second  time,  one  of  the  counciPof  the  Royal  Society  ; 
liud,  in  1704,  on  the  decease  of  Dr.  Wollaston,  he  was 
made  physician  in  ordinary  to  the  queen.  In  Feb.  17^6^ 
be  w^s  fleeted  a  foreign  member,  in  the  physical  line,  of 
tbe  Royal  Society  of  Sciences  at  Gottingen  ;  and,  on  the 
jftb  of  June  in  that  year,  his  majesty  was  graciously  pleased 
to  testify  bis  sense  of  Dr.  Pringle^s  abilities  and  merit,  bj 
raising  him  to  tbe  dignity  of  a  baronet  of  Great  Britain^ 
Jn  July  1768,  sir  John  Pringle  was  appointed  physician  in 
^ordinary  to  her  late  royal  highness  the  princess  dowager  of 
Wales ;  to  which  office  a  salary  was  annexed  of  1 00/.  a«year« 
In  1770,  be  was  chosen,  a  third  time,  into  the  council  of 
the  Royal  Society;  as  he  was,  likewise,  a  fourth  time,  for 
J772.  . 

On  Nov.  30,  in  that  year,  in  consequence  of  the  death 
of  James  West,  esq.  he  was  elected  president  of  that  illus* 
trious  and  learned  body.  His  election  to  this  high  station^ 
though  he  had  so  respectable  an  opponent  as  the  late  siir 
James  Porter,  was  carried  by  a  very  considerable  naajority^ 
This  was  undoubtedly  tbe  highest  honour  that  sir  John 
pringle  ever  received ;  an  honour  with  which  bis  other 
literary  distinctions  could  not  be  compared.  It  was  at  9, 
▼ery  auspicious  time  that  sir  John  Pringle  was  called  upon 
to  preside  over  tbe  Royal  Society.  A  wonderful  ardour 
•for  philosophical  science,  and  for  the  advancement  of  na* 
tural  knowledge,  had  of  late  years  displayed  itself  througb 
£urope,  and  had  appeared  with  particular  advantage  in 
our  own  country.  He  endeavoured  to  cherish  it  by  all  tbQ 
methods  that  were  in  his  power ;  and  he  happily  strucl( 
upon  a  new  way  to  distinction  anxl  usefulness,  by  the  dis-* 
courses  which  were  delivered  by  him  on  the  annual  assign* 
ment  of  sir  Godfrey  Copley's  medal.  This  gentleman  bad 
originally  bequeathed  Ave  guineas,  to  be  given  at  each 
impiversary  meeting  of  the  Royal  Society,  by  the  deter^ 
faination  of  the'  president  and  council,  to  the  person  wba 


Sl^  P  R  I  N  G  L  E. 

fiad  been  the  author  of  the  best  paper  of  experimental  ob«' 
servations  for  the  year  past.  In  process  of  time,  this  pe- 
cuniary reward,  which  could  never  be  an  important  con- 
sideration to  a  man  of  an  enlarged  and  philosophical  mind, 
however  narrow  his  circumstances  might  be,  was  changed 
into  the  more  liberal  form  of  a  gold  medal ;  in  which  fom^ 
it  is  become  a  truly  honourable  mark  of  distinction,  and  a 
just  and  laudable  object  of  ambition.  It  was,  no  doubt^ 
always  usual  with  the  president,  on  the  delivery  of  the 
nfedal,  to  pay  some  cdrnplimeilt  to  the  gentleman  on  whom 
it  was  bestowed  i  but  the  custom  of  making  a  set  speech  on 
the  occasion,  and  of  entering  into  the  history  of  that  part 
of  philosophy  to  which  the  experiments  related,  was  first 
introduced  by  Mr.  Martin  P'olkes.  The  discourses,  how- 
ever, which  he  and  his  successors  delivered  were  very 
short,  and  were  only  inserted  in  the  minute-books  of  the 
society.  None  of  them  had  ever  been  printed  before  sir 
John  Pringle  was  raised  to  the  chair.  -  The  first  speech 
that  was  made  by  him  being  much  more  elaborate  and  ex- 
tended than  usual,  the  publication  of  it  was  desired ;  and 
with  this  request,  it  is  said,  he  was  the  more  ready  to  com- 
ply, as  an  absurd  account  of  what  he  had  delivered  had  ap- 
peared in  a  newspaper.  Sir  John  Pringle  was  very  happy 
in  the  subject  of  his  primary  discourse.  The  discoveries 
in  magnetism  and  electricity  had  been  succeeded  by  the 
inquiries  into  the  various  species  of  air.  In  these  en- 
quiries Dr.  Priestley,  who  had  already  greatly  distin- 
guished himself  by  his  electrical  experiments,  and  his 
other  philosophical  pursuits  and  labours,  took  the  principal 
lead.  A  paper  of  his,  entitled  "Observations  on  different 
kinds  of  Air,'*  having  been  read  before  the  society  in 
March  1772,  was  adjudged  to  be  deserving  of  the  gold 
medal;  and  sir  John  Pringle  embraced  with  pleasure  the 
occasion  of  celebrating  the  important  communications  of 
bis  friend,  and  of  relating  with  accuracy  and  fidelity  what 
had  previously  been  discovered  upon  the  subject.  At  the 
close  of  the  speech,  he  earnestly  requested  Dr.  Priestley 
to  continue  his  liberal  and  valuable  inquiries;  and  we  have 
recently  said  how  well  he  fulfilled  this  request.  It  was 
not,  we  believe,  intended,  when  sir  John  Pringle's  first 
speech  was  printed,  that  the  example  should  be  followed  : 
but  the  second  discourse  was  so  w'eW  received  by  the  Royal 
Society,  that  the  publication  of  it  was  unanimously  re-i^ 
quested.    Both  the  discourse  itself,    and  the  subject  oa 


P  H  I  N  G  L  E.  ?17 

iMch  it  was  delivered,  merited  such  a  distinction.  Th^ 
composition  of  tbe  second  speech  is  evidently  superior  to 
that  of  the  former;  sir  John  having  probably  being  ani- 
mated by  the  favourable  reception  of  his  first  effort.  His 
account  of  tbe  torpedo,  and  of  Mr.  Walshes  ingenious  and, 
admirable  (experiments  relative  to  the  electrical  properties 
of  that  extraordinary  fish,  is  singularly  curious.  The 
whole  discourse  abounds  with  ancient  and  modern  learning, 
and  exhibits  sir  John  Pringle's  knowledge  in  natural  his^ 
tory,  as  well  as  in  medicine,  to  great  advantage.  The  third 
time  that  he  was  called  upon  to  display  his  abilities  at  the 
delivery  of  sir  Godfrey's  medal,  was  on  an  eminently  im- 
portant occasion.  This  was  no  less  than  Mr.  (the  late  Dr.) 
Maskelyne^s  successful  attempt  con)pletely  to  establish  sir 
Isaac  Newton's  system  of  the  universe,  by  his  "  Observa- 
tions made  on  the  mountain  Scbehallien,  for  finding  its  at- 
traction." Sir  John  Pringle  took  advantage  of  this  oppor- 
tunity, to  give  a  perspicuous  and  accurate  relation  of  the 
several  hypotheses  of  tbe  ancients,  with  regard  to  the  revor 
lutions  of  the  heavenly  bodies,  and  of  the  noble  discoveries 
with  which  Copernicus  enriched  the  astronomical  world. 
IHe  then  traced  the  progress  of  the  grand  principle  of  gra- 
vitation down  to  sir  Isaac's  illustrious  confirmation .  of  it ; 
to  which  he  added  a  concise  narrative  of  Messrs.  Bour 
guar's  and  Condamine^s  experiment  at  Chimboraco,  and  of 
Mr.  Maskelyne's  at  Schehallien.  If  any  doubts  yet  re^ 
inained  with  respect  to  the  truth  of  the  Newtonian  system, 
they  were  now  totally  removed.     Sir  John  Pringle  had 

Jeason  to  be  peculiarly  satisfied  with  the  subject  of  his 
burth  discourse ;  that  subject  being  perfectly  congenial 
to  his  disposition  and  studies.  His  own  jife  had  been  much 
epiployed  jn  pointing  out  the  means  which  tended  not  only 
to  cure,  but  to  prevent,  the  diseases  of  mankind ;  and  it 
is  projbable,  from  his  intimate  friendship  with  capt.  Cook» 
that  be  might  suggest  to  that  sagacious  commander  some 
of  the  rules  which  be  followed,  in  order  to  preserve  the 
health  of  the  crew  of  bis  majesty's  ship  the  Resolution,^ 
during  her  voyage  round  the  world.  Whether  this  was  the.^ 
case,  or  whether  the  method  pursued  by  the  captain  to 
attain  so  salutary  an  end,  was  the  result  alone  of  his  own 
reflections,  the  success  of  it  'was  astonishing;  and  this  fa- 
mous voyager  seemed  well  entitled  to  every  honpur  which 
could  be^  bestowed.  To  him  tbe  society  assigned  their 
|;old  medal,  but  he  was  not  present  to  receive  the  honour* 


SIS  P  R  I  N  G  L  E-. 

He  was  gone  out  upbn  that  voyagfe  from  vtMeh  he  ittfet 
teturned.  In  this  last  voyage  he  c6ntitrued  ctijiiaSy  stic* 
cessfui  in  maintaining  the  health  of  his  liben. 

Sir  John  Pringle,  in  his  next  annual  dissertatton,  haJatt 
6pportanity  of  displaying  his  knowledge  in  a  way  in  whrch 
it  bad  not  hitherto  appeared.     The  discourse  tobfe  its  the 
from  the  prize  niedars  being  adjudged  to  Mr.  Mudge,  arf 
eminent  sinrgeon  at  Plymouth,  upon  account  of  his  valii^ 
ab?le  paper,  containing  "  Directions  for  making  the  best 
composition  for  the  metals  of  Reflecting  Tetescopes,  to- 
gether with  a  description  of  the  pocess  for  grinding,  po- 
Ksfaing,  and  giving  the  great  speculum  the  trud  paraboKt 
form."     Sir  John  has  accurately  related  a  variety  of  parti^ 
eulatrsy  concerning  the  invention  of  reflecting  telescopes, 
the  subsequent  improvements  of  thes^  instruments,  and  the 
«ate  in  which  Mr.  Mudge  found  them,  when  he  l5tst  set 
about  working  them  to  a  greater  perfection,  till  be  had 
tmly  realized  the  expectation  of  sir  Isaac  Newton,  who, 
tfbove  an  hundred  years  ago,,  presaged  that  tb^  poblicr 
would  one  day  possess  a  parabolic  *specdlum,  Hot  acpom^ 
l^iished  by  mathematical  rules,  but  by  mechanical  deviees. 
Sir  John  Pnngle's  sixth  discourse,  to  which  he  w^s  led  by 
the  assignment  of  the  gold  medal  to  Mr.  (now  Dr.)  fifutton, 
Cn  account  of  his  curious  paper,  entitled  **The  Poi*ce  of 
fired  Gnsnpowder,  and  the  initial  Velocity  of  Cannon-balW, 
determined  by  experiments,"  was  the  theory  of  gunnery; 
Though  sir  John  had  so  long  attended  the  arwy,  this  wai 
probably  a  subject  to  which  he  had  heretofore  pdd  ierf 
fittle  attention.     We  cannot,  however,  help  admiring  <vWi 
what  perspicuity  and  judgment  he  has  stated  tt^e  pr6gres^ 
l^at  was  made,  from  time  to  time,  in  the  knowledge  6f 
projectiles,  and  the  scientific  perfection  to  which  his  friend 
Mr.  Hutton  had  carried  this  knowledge.     Sir  John  l^riugld 
was  not  one  of  those  who  delighted  ij^l  war,  and  in   Hh^ 
shedding  of  human  blood  ;  he  was  happy  in  being  able  to 
shew  that  even  the  study  af  artillery  might  be  useful  to 
mankind  ;  and,  therefore,  this  is  a  topic  which  he  h&s  not 
forgotten  to  mention.     Here  ended  his  discourses  upon  the 
delivery  of  sir  Godfrey  Copley's  medal.     If  he  had  con- 
tinued to  preside  in  the  chair  of  the  Royal  Society,  h^f 
would,  no  doubt,  have  found  othei:  occasions  of  displaying 
bis  acquaintance  with  the  history  of  philosophy.     But  thef 
opportunities  which  he  had  of  signalizing  himself  in  this- 
respect  were  importairt  in  themselves,  happily  varied,  anrf 
•uflicient  to  gain  him  a  solid  and  lasting  reputation. 


P  R  I  N  G  L  E.  SI9 

Sererat  marks  of  Kterary  distinctiob,  as  we  have  already 
ieex}f  had  bieen  coiifearred  upon  sir  John  Pringle,  beft)iPB  he 
was  raised  to  the  president's  chair;  but  after  ttest  event,  they 
were  bestowed  upon  him  with  great  abundance ;  and,  not 
again  to  resume  the  subject,  we  shall  here  collect  them  to- 
gether. Previously,  however^  to  these  honours  (excepting 
his  having  been  chosen  a  fellow  of  the  Society  of  Anti- 
quaries of  London),  he  received  the  last  promotion  thaft 
was  given  him  in  his  medical  capacity,  which  wa«,  htk 
being  appointed,  Nov.  4,  1174,  physician  eittraordinary 
to  his  majesty.  In  the  year  1776  be  was  enrolled  in  the 
list  of  the  members  of  no  less  than  four  learned  bodies; 
These  were,  the  Royal  Academy  of  Sciences  at  Madrid  ; 
the  Society  of  Amsterdam,  for  the  promotion  of  Agricul- 
ture ;  the  Royal  Academy  of  Medical  Correspondence  at 
Paris;  and  the  Imperial  Academy  of  Sciences  at  St.  Pe*^ 
tersburg.  In  July  1777,  sir  John  Pringfe  was  nominated^ 
by  his  sevene  highness  the  landgrave  of  Hesse,  an  honorary 
member  of  the  Society  of  Antiquaries  at  Cassel.  In  1778 
he  succeeded  the  celebrated  Linnaeus,  as  one  of  the  foreign 
members  of  the  Royal  Academy  of  Sciences  at  Paris.  Thit 
honour  was  then  extended,  by  that  illustrious  body,  only^ 
to  eight  persons,  on  which  account  it  was  justly  esteemed 
a  most  eminent  mark  of  distinction  ;•  and  we  beireve  there 
have  been  few  or  no  instances  wherein  it  has  been  con* 
ferred  on  any  other  than  men  of  great  and  acknowledged 
abilities  and  reputation.  In  October  in  the  same  year^ 
our  author  was  chosen  a  member  of  the  Medical  Society  at 
Hanau.  In  the  succeeding  year,  March  29,  he  wa's 
elected  a  foreign  member  of  the  Royal  Academy  of  Sci- 
ences and  Belles  Lettres  at  Naples.  The  last  testimony 
^f  respect  which  was,  in  this  way,  bestowed  upon  sir  Johti 
Pringle,  was  his  being  admitted,  in  1781,  into  the  num^ 
ber  of  the  felbws  of  the  newly-erected  Society  of  Anti-* 
quaries  at  Edinburgh,  the  particular  design  of  which  is  to 
investigate  the  history  and  antiquities  of  Scotland. 

It  was  at  a  late  period  of  life,  when  sir  John  Pringle 
was  in  the  sixty-sixth  year  of  his  age,  that  he  was  chosen 
to  be  president  of  the  Royal  Society.  Considering,  there- 
fore, the  extreme  attention,  that  was  paid  by  him  to  the  va-? 
i^ious  and  important  duties  of  his  oi£ce,  and  the  great  pains 
he  took  in  the  preparation  of  his  discourses,  it  was  natural 
to  expect  that  the  burden  of  his  honourable  station  should 
grow  heavy  Upon  him  in  a  course  of  time.     This  burden  was 


MQ  P  R  I  N  G  L  E. 

^iDcreased  not  only  by  the  weight  of  years,  but  by  the  acd^ 
.dent  of  a  fall  in  the  area  in  the  back  part  of  his  house,  frooi 
^lvhich  he  received  considerable  hurt,  and  which,  in  its  con- 
sequences, affected  his  health  and  weakened  his  spirits. 
.Such  being  the  state  of  his  body  and  mind,  he  began  to  en- 
.tertain  thoughts  of  resigning  thei  president's  chair.     It  ha3 
J)een  said  likewise,  and  believed,  that  he  was  much  hurt  by 
■the  disputes  introduced  into  the  society,  concerning  the 
^qi|estion,, whether  pointed  or  blunted  electrical  conductors 
^re  the  most  efficacious  in  preserving  buildings  from  the 
pernicious  effects  of  lightning.     Perhaps  sir  John  Pringle's 
declining  years,,  and  the  general  state  of  his  health,  will 
form  sufficient  reasons  for  his  resignation.     His  intention, 
)iowever,  was  disagreeable  to  many  of  his  friends,  and  to 
many  distinguished  members  of  the  Royal  Society.     Ac* 
cordingiy,  they  earnestly  solicited  him  to  continue  in  the 
chair ;  but,  his  resolution  being  fixed,  he  resigned  it  at  the 
Mniversary  meeting  in  1778.    Joseph  Banks,  esq.  (now  sir 
Joseph  Banks)  was  unanimously  elected  president  in  his 
fQom,   a  gentleman  whose  life,  and  the  services  he  has 
rendered  to  science,  will  hereafter  form  an  importapt  article 
in  bjographicai  works.     Though  sir  John  Pringle  quitted 
his  particular  relation  to  the.  Royal  Society,  and  did  nof 
attend  its  meetings  so  constantly  as  he  had  formerly  done^- 
he  still  retained  his  literary  connexions  in  general.  ,  His 
house  continued  to  be  the  resort  of  ingenious  and  philoso- 
phical .men,  whether  of  his  own  country  or  from  abroad^ 
and  he  was  frequent  in  his  visits  to  his  friends.  .  He  wa^ 
hel^  in  particular  esteem  by  eminent  and  learned  foreigners, 
pone  of  whom  came  to  England  without  waiting  upon  bim^ 
and  paying  him.  the  greatest  respect*     He  treated  them,  in 
return,  with  distinguished  civility. and  regard.     When  a 
number  of  gjentlemen  met  at  bis  table,  foreigners  were 
usually  a  part  of  the  company..    Sir  John  Pringle's  infirmi** 
ties  incrieasing,  he  hoped  that  he  might  receive  aii  advan- 
tage from  an  excursion  to   Scotland,    and  spending  the 
summer  there  ;  which  he  did  in  1780,  principally  at  Edin- 
burgh.. He  had  probably  then  formed  some  design  of  fixing 
his  residence  in  that  city.     However  this  may  have  been, 
he, was  so  well  pleased  with  a  place  to  which  be  had  been- 
habituated  in  his  younger  days,  ^nd  with  the  respect  shewn 
him  by  bis  friend^,  that  he  purchased  a  house  there^  whi- 
ther he  iqtended  to  return  in  the  following  spring.     Whea. 
he  came  back  to  London,  in  the  autunui  of  the  jear  abo?e 


P  R  I  N  G  L  E.  321 

iiientioii«d,  he  began  to  pirepare  for  patting  bis  scbeme 
into  execution.     Accordingly,  having  first  disposed  of  th« 
greatest  part  of  his  library,  he  sold  his  house  in  PalUmall^ 
in  April  1781,  and  some  few  days  after  removed  to  Edin* 
burgh.     In  this  city  he  was  treated,    by  persons  of  ali 
ranks,  with  every  mark  of  distinction.    But  Edinburgh  was 
not  now  to  him  what  it  had  been  in  early  life.     The  viva« 
eity  of  spirits,  which  in  the  days  of  youth  spreads  such  a 
charm  on  the  objects  that  surround  us,  was  fled.     Many, 
if  not  most,  of  sir  John  Pringle^s  old  friends  and  contem* 
poraries,  were  dead  ;  and  though  some  of  them  remained, 
they  could  not  meet  together  with  the  same  strength  of 
eonstitotion,  the  same  ardour  of  pursuit,  the  same  anima- 
tion of  hope,  which  they  had  formerly  possessed.     The 
younger  men  of  eminence  paid  him  the  sincerest  testi- 
monies of  esteem  and  regard  ;  but  it  was  too  late  in  life  for 
him  to  form  new  habits  of  close  and  intimate  friendship. 
He  found,  likewise,  the  air  of  Edinburgh  too  sharp  and 
cold  for  his  frame,  which  had  long  been  peculiarly  sensible 
to  the  severities  of  weather.-    These  evijs  were  exaggerated 
by  his  increasing  infirmities,  and  perhaps  by  that  restless* 
ness  of  mind,  which,  in  the  midst  of  bodily  complaints,  is 
still  hoping  to  derive  some  benefit  from  a  change  of  place. 
He  determined,  therefore,  to  return  once  more  to  London, 
where  he  arrived  in  the  beginning  of  September.     Before 
sir  John  Prin^le  entirely  quitted  Edinburgh,  he  requested 
his  friend.  Dr.  John  Hope,  to  present  ten  volumes  folio, 
of  *^  Medical  and  Physical  Observations,"  in  manuscript, 
to  the  Royal  College  of  Physicians  in  that  city.     This  be- 
nefaction was  conferred  on  two  conditions ;  first,  that  the 
observations  should  not  be  published  ;  and  iecondly,  that 
they  should  not  be  lent  out  of  the  library  on  any  pretence 
whatever.   A  meeting  of  the  college  being  summoned  upon 
the  occasion,  sir  John's  donation  was  accepted  with  much 
gratitude,  and  a  resolution  passed  to  comply  with  the  terms 
on'  which  it  was  bestowed.     He  was,  at  the  same  time, 
preparing  two  other  volumes  to  be  given  to  the  university, 
containing  the  formulas  referred  tb  in  his  annotations. 

Sir  John  Pringle,  upon  his  arrival  at  the  metropolis, 
found  his  spirits  somewhat  revived.  He  was  greatly  pleased 
with  revisiting  his  London  friends,  and  he  was  received 
by  them  with  equal  cordiality  and  affection.  His  Siaikiday 
evening  conversations  were  honoured  with  the  attendance 
•of  many  respectable  men ;  and,  on  th*e  other  nights  of  the 

Vol.  XXV.  Y  V 


322  P  R  I  N  G  L  E. 

week)  be  had  the  pleasure  of  spending  a  couple  of  bour^ 
with  his  firiends,  at  a  society  that  had  lon^  been  established^ 
and  which  had  met,  for  some  time  past,  at  Mr.  Wutson\s,  a 
grocer,  iii  the  Strand.  Sir  Jobn'u  connection  with  thi* 
society,  and  his  constant  attendance  upon  it,  formed,  to 
the  last,  one  of  his  principal  entertainments.  The  morning 
was  chiefly  employed  by  him  in  receiving  and  returning 
the  visits  of  his  various  acquaintance ;  and .  he  had  fre-« 
quently  a  small  and  select  party  to  dine  with  him  at  his 
apartments  in  King-street,  St.  James's-square.  All  this 
while  his  strength  declined  with  a  rapidity  which  did  not 
permit  his  friends  to  hope  that  his  life  would  long  be  con- 
tinued. On  Monday  evening,  Jan.  14,  1782,  being  with 
the  society  at  Watson's,,  he  was  seized  with  a  fit,  from 
which  he  never  recovered.  He  was  accompanied  home  by 
Dr.  Saunders,  for  whom  he  had  the  highest  regard  ;  and  in* 
whom  he  had,  in  every  respect,  justly  placed  the  roost 
unreserved  confidence.  The  doctor  afterwards  attended 
him  with  unwearied  assiduity,  but,  to  any  medical  puf-* 
pose,  entirely,  in  vain ;  for  he  died  on  the  Friday  follo\*'- 
ing,  being  the  18th  day  of  the  month,  in  the  seventy-fifth 
year  of  his  age ;  and  the  account  of  his  death  was  every 
where  received  in  a  manner  which  shewed  the  high  sense 
.that  was  entertained  of  his  merit.  On  the  7th  of  Februarv 
he  was  interred  in  St.  Jameses  church,  with  great  funeral 
solemnity,  and  with  a  Tery  honourable  attendance  of  emi- 
nent and  respectable  friends.  As  a  testimony  of  regard  to 
jiis  memory,  at  the  first  meeting  of  the  College  of  Pby* 
sicians  at  Edinburgh,  after  his  decease,  all  the  members 
appeared  ifi  deep  mourning. 

Sir  John  Pringle,  by  long  practice,  had  acquired  » 
handsome  fortune,  which  he  disposed  of  with  great  pru*- 
dence  and  propriety.  The  bulk  of  it,  as  might  naturally 
and  reasonably  be  expected,  be  bequeathed  to  his  worthy 
uepheLW  and  heir,  sir  James  Pringle,  of  Stichel,  bart. 
.whom  he  appointed  bis  sole  executor.  But  the  whole  was 
not  immediately  to  go  to  sir  James ;  for  a  sum  equal|  we 
believe,  to  seven  hundred  poinds  a  year,  was  appropriated 
to  annuities,  revertible  to  that  gentleman  at  the  decease  of 
the  annuitants.  By  these  means,  sir  John  exhibited,  an 
important  proof  of  his  regard  and  affection .  for  several  of 
bis  i^luable  relations  and  friends.  Sir  John  Pringle*s  eQii- 
nent  character  as  a  practical  physician,  as  well  as  a  medical 
author,  is  so  well  known,  and  so  universally  acknowledge, 


P  R  I  N  G  L  E.  32$ 

that  an  enlargei|ient  upon  it  cannot  be  necessary.  In  the 
exercise  of  his  profession .  he  was  not  rapacioas ;  being 
ready,  on  various  occasions,  to  give  his  advice  without  pe- 
cuniary views.  The  turn  of  sir  John  Pringle's  mind  led 
him  chiefly  to  the  love  of  science,  which  he  built  on  the 
firm  basis  of  fact.  With  regard  to  philosophy  in  general, 
he  was  as  averse  to  theory,  unsupported  by  experiments, 
as  he  was  with  respect  to  medicine  in  particular.  Lord 
Bacon  Was  his  favourite  author ;  and  to  the  method  of 
investigating  recommended  by  that  great  man  he  steadily 
adhered.  Such  being  his  intellectual  character,  it  will  not 
be  thought  surprising  that  he  had  a  dislike  to  Plato.  To 
inetapbysical  disquisitions  he  lost  all  regard  in  the  latter 
part  of  his  life ;  and,  though  some  of  his  most  valued 
friends  had  engaged  in  discussions  of  this  kind,  with  very 
different  views  of  things,  he  did  not  choose  to  revert  to  the 
studies  of  his  youth,  but  contented  himself  with  the  opi* 
nions  he  had  then  formed. 

Sir  John  Pringle  had  not  much  fondness  for  poetry.  He 
had  not  even  any  distinguished  relish  for  the  immortal 
Shakspeare  :  at  least,  he  seemed  too  highly  sensible  of  the 
xlefects  of  that  illustrious  bard,  to  give  him  the  proper 
degree  of  estimation.  Sir  John  Pringle  had  not,  in  his 
youth,  been  neglectful  of  philological  inquiries ;  and, 
after  having  omitted  them  for  a  time,  he  returned  to  tliem 
again;  so  far,  at  least,  as  Co  endeavour  to  obtain  a  more 
exact  knowledge  of  the  Greek  language,  probably  with  a 
view  to  a  better  understanding  of  the  New  Testament.  He 
paid  a  great  attention  to  the  French  language ;  and  it  is 
said  that  he  was  fond  of  Voltaire's  critical  writings.  Among 
all  his  other  pursuits,  sir  John  Pringle  never  forgot  the 
study  of  the  English  language.  This  he  regarded  as  a 
matter  of  so  much  consequence,  that  he  took  uncommon 
pains  with  respect  to  the.  style  of  his  compositions ;  tind  it 
cannot  be  denied  that  he  excels  in  perspicuity,  correctness, 
and  propriety  of  expression.  Though  he  slighted  poetry, 
he  was  very  fond  of  music.  He  \vas  even  a  performer  on 
the  violoncello,  at  a  weekly  concert  given  by  a  society  of 
gentlemen  at  Edinburgh.  Besides  a  close  application  to 
medical  and  philosophical  science,  sir  John  Pringle,  during 
the  latter  part  of  his  life,  devoted  much  time  to  the  study 
of  divinity  :  this  was,  with  him,  a  very  favourite  and  inte- 
resting object.  He  corresponded  frequently  with  Mi* 
cbg^lis  on  theological  subjects ;  and  that  celebrated  pro- 

Y2 


324  P  R  I  N  G  L  E. 

fessor  addressed  to  hiai  some  letters  on  ^*  Daniel's  Pro« 
phecy  of  the  Seventy  Weeks,"  which  sir  John  thought 
worthy  of  being  published  in  this  country.   He  was  accord- 
ingly at  considerable  pains,   and   some  expence,   in'  the 
publication,  which  appeared  in  1773,  under  this  following 
title:  '^ Joannis Davidis  Michaelis,  .Prof.  Ordin.  Philos.  et 
Soc.  Reg.  Scient.  Goettingensis  Collegse,  EpistolsB,  de  LXX 
Hebdomadibus  Danielis,  ad  D.  Joannem  Pringie,  baronet- 
tum  :  primo  privatim  roissse,  nunc  vero  utriosque  consensu 
publice  editee,"  8vo.     Sir  John  Pringie   was   likewise   a- 
diligent  and  frequent  reader  of  sermons,  which  form  so 
valuable  a  part  of  English  literature.     If,  from  the  intel- 
lectual, we  pass  on  to  the  moral  character  of  sir  John 
Pringie,  we  shall  find  that  the  ruling  feature,  of  it  was  inte- 
grity.    By   this   principle   he   was  uniformly  actuated  in 
the  whole  of  his  behaviour.     All  his  acquaintance  with  one 
voice  agreed  that  there  never  was  a  man  of  greater  inte- 
grity.    He  was  equally  distinguished  for  his  sobriety.     He 
told  Mr.  Boswell,  that  he  had  never  in  his  life  been  intoxi- 
cated with  liquor.     In  his  friendships,   sir  John  Pringie 
was  ardent  and  steady.    The  intimacies  which  were  formed 
by  him,  in  the  early  part  of  bis  life,  at  Edinburgh,  con- 
tinued unbroken  to  the  decease  of  the  gentlemen  with 
whom  they  were  made ;  and  were  sustained  by  a  regular 
correspondence,  and  by  all  the  good  o$ces  that  lay  in  his 
power.     With  relation  to  sir  John  Pmngle's  external  man- 
ner of  deportment,  he  paid  a  very  respectful  attention  to 
those  whom  he  esteemed ;  but  he  had  a  kind  of  reserve 
in  his  behaviour,  when  be  was  not  perfectly  pleased  with 
the  persons  who  were  introduced  to  him,  or  who  happened 
to  be  in  his  company.     His  sense  of  integrity  and  dignity 
would  not  permit  him  to  adopt  that  false  and  superficial 
politeness,  which  treats  all  men  alike,  however  different 
in  point  of  real  estimation  and  merit.      He  was  above 
assuming  the  professions,  without  the  reality  of  respect. 
On  the  religious  character  of  sir  John  Pringie  it  is  more 
particularly  important  to  enlarge.     The  principles  of  piety 
and  virtue,  which  were  early  instilled  into  him  by  a  strict 
education,  do  not  appear  ever  to  have  lost  their  influence 
upon  the  general  conduct  of  his  life,     Nevertheless,  when 
h^  travelled  abroad  in  the  world,  his  belief  of  the  Christian 
revelation  was  so  far  unsettled,  that  he  becaitie  at  least  a 
sceptic  on  that  subject.     But  it  was  not  the  disposition  of 
sir  Jphn  Pringie  to  rest  satisfied  in  his  doubts  and  difficul- 


P  R  I  N  G  L  E.  325 

ties,  with  respect  to  a  matter  of  such  high  importance. 
He  was  too  great  a  lover  of  truth,  not  to  make  religion 
the  object  of  his  serious  inquiry.  As  he  scorned  to  be  an 
implicit  believer,  he  was  equally  averse  to  the  being  an 
iioplicit  unbeliever;  which  is  the  case  of  large  numbers  who 
reject  Christianity  with  as  little  knowledge,  and  as  little 
examination,  as  the  most  determined  bigots  embrace  their 
systems.  The  res^ult  of  this  investigation  was,  a  full  con- 
viction  of  the  divine  original  and  authority  of  the  Gospel. 
The  evidence  of  revelation  appeared  to  him  to  be  solid 
and  invincible,  and  the  nature  of  it  to  be  such  as  must 
demand  the  most  grateful  acceptance.  Such  having  been 
the  character  and  eminence  of  sir  John  Pringle,  it  wa& 
highly  proper  that  a  tribute  to  his  merit  should  be  placed 
in  Westminster  abbey.  Accordingly,  under  the  direction 
and  at  the  expence  of  his  nephew  and  heir,  a  monument 
with  an  English  inscription  was  erected,  of  which  Mr.  NoU 
lekens  was  the  sculptor*^ 

PRIOLO  ^Benjamin),  in  Latin  Priolus,  author  of  an 
History  of  France  from  the  death  of  Louis  XIIL  in  1643  to 
1664,.  was  born  in  1602.  He  was  descended  from  the 
Prioli,  an  illustrious  family,  some  of  whom  had  been  doges 
of  Venice.  He  underwent  some  difficulties  from  losina 
bis  father  and  mother,  when  young;  but  these  did  not 
abate  bis  passion  for  learning,  which  he  indulged  day  and 
night.  He  studied  first  at  Orthez,  next  at  Montauban^ 
and  afterwards  at  Leyden ;  in  which  last  city  he  profited  by 
the  lectures  of  Heinsius  and  Vossius.  He  went  to  Paris, 
for  the  sake  of  seeing  and  consulting  GrotiusN*,  and  after* 
wards  to  Padua,  where  he  learned  the  opinions  of  Aristotle 
and  other  ancient  philosophers,  under  Cremoninus  and 
Licetus.  After  returning  to  France, .  he.  went  again  into 
Italy,  in  order  to  be  recognized  by  the  house  of  Prioli,  a^ 
one  of  their  relations.  He  devoted  himself  to  the  duke 
of  Rohan,  then  in  the  Venetian  service,  and  became  one 
of  fais(  most  intimate  confidents;  but,  uncertain  what  his 
fate  would  be  after  this  duke's  death,  he  retired  to  Geneva, 
having  married,  three  months  "before,  a  lady  of  a  very 
noble  family.  The  duke  de  Loirgueville  drew  him  from 
this  retirement,  upon  his  being  appointed  plenipotentiary 
from  the  court  of  France  for  the  treaty  of  Munster,  as  a 
person  whose  talents  n)ight  be  of  service  to  him ;  and 
Priolo  resided  with  him  a  year  at  Munster,  where  he  con* 

*  Life  by  Dr.  Kippis,  prefixed  to  sir  John's  "  Six  Discourse!,"  17S3,  8vo. 


326  P  R  I  O  L  D. 

tracted  a  very  intimate  friendship  with  Chigi  the  nuncio/ 
who  was  afterwards  pope  Alexander  VII.  From  Munster 
he  returned  to  Geneva;  whence  he  went  to  France,  in 
order  to  settle  at  Paris.  He  stayed  six  months  in  Lyons, 
and  there  had  frequent  conferences  with  cardinal  Francis 
Barberini ;  the  effect  of  which  was,  that  himself  and  his 
whole  family  abjured  the  Protestant  religion,  and  imme- 

'  diately  received  the  communion  from  the  hands  of  the 
cardinal.  He  was  not,  however,  long  easy  at  Paris ;  for,  the 
civil  war  breaking  out  soon  after,  he  joined  with  the  male- ' 
contents,  which  proved  the  ruin  of  his  fortune.  He  was 
obliged  to  retire  to  Flanders,  his  estate  was  confiscated, 
and  his  family  banished.  Being  afterwards  restored  to  the 
favour  of  his  sovereign,  he  resolved  to  lead  a  private  life, 
and  to  devote  himself  to  study.  It  was  at  this  time,  and 
to  divert  his  melancholy,  that  be  wrote,  without  the  least 

-  flattery  or  partiality,  his  "  History  of  France,"  in  Latin. 
It  has  gone  through  several  impressions;  but  the  best  edi- 
tion is  that  of  Leipsic,  1686,  8vo.  He  was  again  em- 
ployed in  negociations ;  and  set  out,  in  J  667,  upon  a 
secret  affair  to  Venice  ;  but  did  not  arrive  at  the  end  of  bis 
journey,  being  seized  with  an  apoplectic  fit,  of  which  he 
died  in  the  archbishop^s  palace  at  Lyons.  He  left  seven 
children  ;  who,  by  virtue  of  his  name,  and  their  own  accom- 
plishments and  merit,  rose  to  very  flourishing  circum- 
stances.* 

PRIOR  (Matthew),  an  English  poet  of  considerable  emi- 
nence, was  born  July  21,  1664,  but  there  is  some  difficulty  in 
settling  his  birth-place.  In  the  register  of  his  college  he 
is  called,  at  his  admission  by  the  president,  Matthew  Prior, 
of  Winburn  in  Middlesex  ;  by  himself,  next  day,  Matthew 
Prior  of  Dorsetshire  ;  in  which  county,  not  in  Middlesex, 
Winborn,  or  Winborne  as  it  stands  in  the  Villare,  is. 
found.'  When  be  stood  candidate  for  his  fellowship,  five 
years  afterwards,  he  was  registered  again  by  himself  as  of 
Middlesex.  The  last  record  (says  Dr.  Johnson)  ought  to 
be  preferred,  because  it  was  made  upon  oath  ;  yet  there  is 
much  reason  for  thinking  that  he  was  actually  of  Wimborn  in 
Dorsetshire,  and  that  his  county  was  concealed,  in  order  to 
entitle  him  to  a  fellowship.  (See  Gent.  Mag.  LXII.  p.  b02.) 
By  the  death  of  his  father,  the  care  of  him  devolved 
upon  an  uncle,  Samuel  Prior,  who  kept  the  Rummer 
tavern,  near  Charing- cross,  and  who  discharged  the  trust 

»  Gen.  Dict.*-.-NiceroD,  vol.  XXXIX. 


PRIOR.  S27 

teposed  in  bim  with  a  tenderness  truly  paternal,   and  at  a 
proper  age  sent. him  to  Westminster  school,  where  he  was 
admitted  a  scholar  in   1681,  and  distinguished  himself  to 
great  advantage.     After  remaining  here  for  a  short  time, 
he  was  taken  home  by  his  uncle,  in  order  to  be  bred  to  his 
trade.     At  leisure  hours,  however,  he  pursued  the  study 
of  the  classics,  on  which  account  be  was  soon  noticed  by 
the  polite  company  who  resorted  to  his  uncle's  house.     It 
happened,  one  day,  that  the  earl  of  Dorsiet  and  other  gen-  ■ 
tiemen  being  at  this  tavern,  the  discourse  turned  upon  a 
passao^e  in  an  ode  of  Horace,  who  was  Prior's  favourite 
author:    and   the  company  being  divided   in    their  senti- 
ments, one  of  the  gentlemen  said,  *^  Ifind  we  are  not  like* 
to  agree  in   our  criticisms;   but,  if  I  am  not  mistaken,' 
there  is  a  young  fellow  in  the  house  who  is  able  to  set  us' 
all  right"     Upon  which  he  named  Matt.  Prior^  who  being 
called  in,  gave  the  company  the  satisfaction  they  wanted. 

Lord  Dorset,  exceedingly  struck  with  his  ingenuity  and 
learning,  from  that  moment  determined  to  remove  him' 
from  the  station  he  was  in,  to  one  more  suitable  to  his 
talents  and  genius;  and  accordingly  procured  him  to  be 
sent,  in  1682,  to  St.  John's  college  in  Cambridge,  where' 
he  proceeded  B.  A.  in  1686,  and  was  shortly  after  chosen 
fellow.  In  1688,  he  wrote  a  poem  called  "The  Deity.'* 
It  is  the  eistablished  practice  of  that  college,  to  send  every 
year  to  the  earl  of  Exeter  some  poems  upon  sacred  sub- 
jects, in  acknowledgment  of  a  benefaction  enjoyed  by 
\them  from  the  bounty  of  his  ancestor:  on  this  occasion 
were  those  verses  written;  which,  though  nothing  is  said' 
of  their  success,  seem  to  have  recommended  him  to  some' 
notice;  for  his  praise  of  the  countess's  music,  and  his  lines 
on  the  famous  picture  of  Seneca,  afford  reason  to  suppose 
that  he  was  more  or  less  conversant  in  that  family. 

The  same  year  he  published  the  "City  Mouse- and 
Country  Mouse,"  to  ridicule  Dryden's  Hind  and  Panther,"' 
iu  conjunction  with  Mr.  Montague.  Spence  tells  us  how 
much  Dry  den  was  mortified  at  this  attack,  which  appears 
somewhat  improbable.  Dryden,  says  Johnson,  had  been 
more  accustomed  to  hostilities,  than  that  such  enemies 
should  breakihis  quiet ;  and,  if  we  can  suppose  him  vexed, 
it  would  be  hard  to  deny  him  sense  enough  to  conceal  his 
uneasiness.  The  poem,  however,  produced  its  author  more 
solid  advantages  than  the  pleasure  of  fretting  Dry  den ; 
^ind  Prior,  coming  to  Loudon,  obtained  such  notice,  that, 


330  PRIOR. 

Prior  now,  whatever  were  his  reasons,  began  to  join  th^ 
party  who  were  for  bringing  the  war  to  a  conclusion,  who 
were  to  expatiate  on  past  abuses,  the  waste  of  public 
money,  the  unreasonable  "  Conduct  of  the  Allies,"  the 
avarice  of  generals,  and  other  topics,  .which  might  render 
the  war  and  the  conductors  of  it  unpopular.  Among  other 
writings,  the  **  Examiner"  was  published  by  the  wits  of 
this  party,  particularly  Swift.  One  paper,  in  ridicule  of 
Garth's  verses  to  Godolphin  upon  the  loss  of  his  place, 
was  written  by  Prior,  and  answered  by  Addison,  who 
appears  to  have  known  the  author  either  by  conjecture  or 
intelligence. 

The  tories,  who  were  now  in  power,  were  in  baste  to 
end  the  war ;  and  Prior,  being  recalled  to  his  former  poli- 
tical employment,  was  sent,  July  1711,  privately  to  Paris, 
with  propositions  of  peace.  He  was  remembered  at  the 
French  court ;  and,  returning  in  about  a  month,  brought 
with  him  the  abb^  Gaiiltier  and  Mr.  Mesnager,  a  minister 
from  France,  invested  with  full  powers.  The  negociation' 
was  begun  at  Prior's  bouse,  where  the  queen's  ministers 
met  Mesnager,  Sept.  20,  1711,  and 'entered  privately 
upon  the  great  business.  The  importance  of  Prior  appears 
from  the  mention  made  of  him  by  St.  John,  in  his  letter  to 
the  queen.  '*  My  lord  treasurer  moved,  and  all  my  lords 
were  of  the  same  opinion,  that  Mr.  Prior  should  be  added 
to  those  who  are  empowered  to  sign  :  the  reason  for  which 
is,  because  he,  having  personally  treated  with  Monsieur 
de  Torcy,  is  the  best  witness  we  can  produce  of  the  sense 
in  which  the  general  preliminary- engagements  are  entered 
into  :  besides  which,  as  he  is  the  best  versed  in  matters  of 
trade  of  all  ypur  majesty's  servants  who  have  been  trusted 
in  this  secret,  if  you  should  think  6t  to  employ  him  in  the 
future  treaty  of  commerce,  it  will  be  of  consequence  that 
he  has  been  a  party  concerned  in  concluding  that  conven- 
tion which  must  be  the  rule  of  this  treaty." 

The  conferences  began  at  Utrecht  Jan.  I,  171 1-12,  but 
advanced  so  slowly,  that  Bolingbroke  was  sent  to  Paris  to 
adjust  differences  with  less  formality ;  aiid  Prior,  who  had 
accompanied  him,  h^d,  after  his  departure,  the  appoint- 
ment  and  authority  of  an  ambassador,  though  no  public 
character.  Soon  after,  the  duke  of  Shrewsbury  went  on  a 
formal  embassy  to  Paris,  but  refused  to  be  associated  with 
a  man  so  meanly  born  as  Prior,  who  therefore  continued  to 
act  without  a  title  till  the  duke  returned  next  year  to  Eng-* 


PRIOR.  331 

land,  and  then  be  assumed  the  style  and  dignity  of  ambas- 
sador. Yet  even  while  be  continued  in  appearance  a  pri- 
vate man^  he  was  treated  with  confidence  by  Lewis,  who 
sent  him  with  a  letter  to  the  queen,  written  in  favour  of  the 
elector  of  Bavaria,  and  by  M.  de  Torcy.  His  public  dig- 
nity and  splendour  commenced  m  August  1713,  and  con- 
tinued till  the  August  following  ;  but  it  was  attended  with 
some  perplexities  and  mortifications.  He  had  not  all  that' 
is  customarily  given  to  ambassadors  :  be  bints  to  the  queen, 
in  an  imperfect  poem,  that  he  had  no  service  of  plate;  and 
it  appeared,  by  the  debts  which  be  contracted,  *  that  his 
remittances  were  not  punctually  made. 

On  the  first  of  August,  17  14,  ensued  the  downfall  of  the 
tories,  and  the  degradation  of  Prior.  He  was  recalled  ; 
but  was  not  able  to  return,  being  detained  by  the  debts 
which  he  had  foiind  it  necessary  to  contract,  and  which  were 
not  discharged  before  March,  though  his  old  friend  Mon- 
tague was  now  at  the  head  of  the  treasury.  On  his  return 
he  was  welcomed,  March  25,  1715,  by  a  warrant,  and  ex- 
amined, before  a  committee  of  the  privy  council,  of  which 
Mr.  (afterwards  sir  Robert)  Walpole  was  chairman,  with 
^  great  strictness  and  severity.  He  was  then  confined  for 
some  time,  and  on  June  10,  1715,  Mr.  Walpole  moved 
an  impeachment  against  him,  which,  however,  ended  in 
his  being  released  without  trial  or  punishment.  During 
his  confinement  he  wrote  his  "  Alma." 

,  He  had  now  his  liberty,  but  had  nothing  else.  What- 
ever the  profit  of  his  employments  might  have  been,  he 
bad  always  spent  it;  and  at  the  age  of  fifty-three  was,  with 
all  his  abilities,  in  danger  of  penury,  having  yet  no  solid 
revenue  but  from  the  fellowship  of  his  college,  which, 
when  in  his  exaltation  he  was  censured  for  retaining  it,  he 
said  "  he  could  live  upon  it  at  last.'*  Being,  however,  ge- 
nerally known  and  esteemed,  he  was  encouraged  to  add 
other  poems  to  those  which  he  had  printed,  and  to  publish 
them  by  subscription.  The  expedient  succeeded  by  the 
industry  of  many  friends,  who  circulated  the  proposals, 
and  the  care  of  some,  who,'  it  is  said,  withheld  the  money 
from  him  lest  he  should  squander  it.  The  price  of  the 
volume  was  two  guineas  ;  the  whole  collection  was  four 
thousand  ;  to  which  lord  Harlev,  the  son  of  the  earl  of  Ox- 
ford,  to  whom  he  had  invariably  adhered,  added  an  equal 
sum,  for  the  purchase  of  Down-hall,  which  Prior  was  to 
enjoy  during  life,  and  Harley  after  his  decease. 


332  PRIOR. 

.  He  had  now,  what  wits  and  philosophers  have  often 
wished,  the  power  of  passing  the  day  in  contemplative 
tranquillity.  But  it  seems^  says  Johnson,  that  busy  men 
seldom  live  long  in  a  state  of  quiet.  It  is  not  unlikely  that 
his  health  declined.  He  complains  of  deafness;  ^*  for/' 
says  he,  '^  I  took  little  care  of  my  ears  while  I  was  not  sure 
if  my  head  was  my  own.''  He  had  formed  a  design  of 
writing  an  ^*  History  of  his  own  Time ;"  but  had  made 
very  little  progress  in  it,  when  a  lingering  fever  carried 
him  off,  Sept.  IS,  1721,  in  his  fifty-eighth  year.  He  died 
9t  Wimple,  a  seat  of  the  earl  of  Oxford,  not  far  from  Cam- 
bridge ;  and  his  corpse  was  interred  in  Westminster-abbey, 
where  a  monument  was  erected  at  his  own  charge,  5002. 
having  been  set  apart  by  him  for  that  purpose,  and  an 
inscription  for  it  was  written  by  Robert  Freind,  master,  of 
Westminster-school.  After  his  death,  more  of  his  poecps 
were  published  ;  and  there  appeared,  in  1740,  "The  His- 
tory of  his  own  Time,  compiled  from  his  original  manu- 
scripts;" a  composition  little  worthy  of  him,  and  un- 
doubtedly, for  the  most  part,*  if  not  entirely,  spurious.  To 
make  his  college  some  amends  for  retaining  his  fellowship, 
be  left  them  books  to  the  value  of  200/.  to  be  chosen  by 
them^  out  of  his  library ;  and  also  his  picture  painted  by 
La  Belle,  in  France,  which  had  been  a  present  to  him  from 
Lewis  XiV. 

"  Of  Prior,"  says  Johnson,  "  eminent  as  be  was,  both 
by  his  abilities  and  station,  very  few  memorials  have  been 
left  by  his  contemporaries;  the  account  therefore  must 
now  be  destitute  of  his  private  character  and  familiar  prac- 
tices. He  lived  at  a  time  when  the  rage  of  patty  detected 
all  which  it  wa^^  any  man's  interest  to  hide;  and?  as  little 
ill  is  heard  of  Prior,  it  is  certain  that  not  much  was 
known.  He  was  not  afraid  of  provoking  c<^nsure ;  for,  when 
he  forsook  the  whigs,  under  whose  patronage  he  first  en- 
tered the  world,  he  became  a  tory  so  ardent  and  deter- 
minate, that  he  did  not  willingly  consort  with  men  of  dif«> 
ferent  opinions.  He  was  one  oJF  the  sixteen  tories  who  met 
weekly,  and  agreed  to  address  each  other  by  the  title  of  bro- 
ther ;  and  seems  to  have  adhered,  not  only  by  concurrence 
of  political  designs,  but  by  peculiar  affection,  to  the  earl 
of  Oxford  and  his  family.  With  how  much  confidence  he 
was  trusted  has  been  already  told. 

"  He  was,  however,  in  Pope's  opinion,  fit  only  to  miike 
verses,  and  less  qualified  for  bulsiness  than  Addison  himsfdf. 


PRIOR.  333 

This  was  surely  said  without  consideration.  Addison,  ex- 
alted to  a  high  place,  was  forced  into  degradation  by  a 
sense  of  his  own  incapacity;  Prior,  who  was  employed  by 
men  very  capable  of  estimating  his  value,  having  been  se- 
cretary to  one  embassy,  had,  when  great  abilities  were 
again  wanted,  the  same  office  another  time ;  and  was,  after 
so  much  experience  of  his  knowledge  and  dexterity,  at  last 
sent  to  transact  a  negociation  in  the  highest  degree  ar- 
duous and  important,  for  which  he  was  qualified,  among 
other  requisites,  in  the  opinion  of  Bolingbroke,  by  his  in- 
fluence upon  the  French  minister,  and  by  skill  in  questions 
of  commerce  above  other  men. 

*^  Of  bis  behaviour  in  the  lighter  parts  of  life,  it  is  too 
kte  to  get  much  intelligence.  One  of  hb  answers  to  a 
boastful  Frenchman  has  been  related ;  and  to  an  imperti- 
nent one  he  made  another  equally  propen  During  his 
embassy  he  sat  at  the  opera  by  a  man,  who,  in  his  rapture, 
accompanied  with  his  own  voice  the  principal  singer.  Prior 
fell  to  railing  at  the  performer  with  all  the  terms  of  re- 
proach that  he  could  collect,  till  the  Frenchman,  ceasing 
from  his  song,  began  to  expostulate  with  him  for  his  harsh 
censure  of  a  man  who  was  confessedly  the  ornament  of  the 
stage.  **  1  know  all  that,''  says  the  ambassador,  '^  mais  il 
.  chante  si  haut,  que  je  ne  s^aurois  vous  entendre.*' 

In  his  private  character  Prior  was  licentious,  and  de- 
scended to  keep  low  company.     In  his  "  Tales"  we  find 
much   indecency,  and   his  works,  collectively,   are  not  a 
suitable  present  from  a  decent  giver.     Whatever  his  opi- 
nions, there  seems  no  evidence  to  contradict  the  charge 
brought  against  him,  that  his  life  was  irregular,  negligent^ 
and  sensual.     For  the  merit  of  his  poems  we  may  refer  to 
Dr  Johnson's  criticism,  which    some  have  thought  rather 
severe.     As  it  becomes  more  attentively  considered,  how- 
ever, it  seems  to  harmonize  with  more  recent  opinions. 
Ease  and  humour  are  the  principal  characteristics  of  Prior's 
poetry.     Invention  he  had  very   little;  but,   although  his 
stories^  and  even  his  points  may  be  traced,  he  certainly  had 
the  happy  art  of  telling  an  old  story  so  as  to  convey  new 
delight.     He  appears  to  have  rested  his  reputation  on  his 
**  Solomon,"  which  he  wrote  with  great  labour.   'Johnson, 
who  objects  to  it  chiefly  its  tediousness,  allows  that  the  reader 
will  be  able  to  mark  many  passages  to  which  he  may  recur 
for  instruction  and  delight,  many  from  which  the  poet  may 
learn  to  write,  and  the  philosopher  to  reason  :  and  Cowper 


334  PRISCIANUS. 

says,  that  in  his  opinion,  Solomon  is  the  best  poeai,  whether 
we  consider  the  subject  of  it,  or  the  execution,  that  Prior 
ever  wrote.  * 

PRISCIANUS9  ^1^  eminent  grammarian  of  antiquity^ 
was  born  at  Caesarea,  and  afterwards  went  to  Constan- 
tinople, where  he  taught  the  principles  of  his  art,  and  was^ 
in  the  highest  reputation  about  the  year  525.  Donatu;s, 
Servius,  and  Priscian,  are  called  triumviri  in  "  Re  Gram- 
matica,^'  by  Laurentius  Valla,  who  thinks  them  all  excel- 
lent, and  that  none  of  the  ancients,  who  wrote  after  them 
upon  the  Latin  language,  are  fit  to  be  mentioned  with 
them.  Priscian  composed  a  work  "  De  Arte  Grammatica," 
which  was  first  printed  by  Aldus,  at  Venice,  in  1476  :  it  is 
addressed  to  Julian,  not  the  emperor,  as  some  have  erro- 
neously supposed,  but  the  consul.  •  He  wrote  a  book  "  De 
NaturalibusQusBStionibus,^'  which  he  dedicated  to  Chosroes, 
king  of  Persia.  He  translated  "  Dionysius's  Description 
of  the  World,"  into  Latin  verse :  this  is  printed  with  the 
edition  of  that  author,  at  Oxford,  1697,  in  8vo.  Some 
have  pretended  that  this  grammariam  was  first  a  Christian, 
and  afterwards  a  Pagan  ;  but  there  is  no  foundation  for  this 
opinion.  Hadrian  Valesius  relates,  that  his  iiame,  in  a 
very  awcient  and  correct  manuscript,  is  written  Pracscianus. 
A  person  who  writes  false  Latin  is  proverbially  said  to 
break  Priscian's  head.'\' 

PRISCILLIAN,  a  heretic  of  the  fourth  century,  well 
known  in  ecclesiastical  history  for  having  revived  the  errors 
of  the  Gnostics  and  Manicheans,  was  a  Spaniard,  of  high 
birth,  and  great  fortune,  with  considerable  talents  and  elo- 
quence. His  opinions  first  became  known  in  the  year  379^ 
and  were  rapidly  diffused  in  Spain.  But  in  the  ensuing 
year  a  council  was  held  by  the  bishops  of  Aquitaine  at  Sara- 
gossa,  in  which  the  Priscillianists  were  solemnly  con- 
demned. He  was  then  but  a  layman,  but  soon  after  he 
was  ordained  bishop  of  Labins^  9r  Lavila,  supposed  to  be 
Avila,  one  of  the  cities  of  Galicia,  by  two  bishops  of  his 

*  Johnson^s  Live«. — Biog.  Brit, — Gibber's  Lives.— Swift's  Works,  see  Index. 
— Burnet's  Own.  Tiroes. — Hayley's  Life  ofCowper*  toI.  L  p.  290;— Nichols's 
Poems. — Fitzosborne's  LeUer:^,  Letter  LXXIlK-^Bowles's  Pope. — Malone's 
Dryd^n,  vol.  I.  p.  54^2.—  Forbes's  Life  of  BeaUie. — Boswell's  Life  of  Joboson. — 
Nichols's  Correspondence  of  Atterbury.— Spence's  Anecdotes,  MS. — Gent.  Mag. 
Index,  and  vol.  LVII.  137,  399;  LIX.  p.  192;  LXL  801 ;  LXIV.  29;  LXXL 
996;  LXXV.  915. — D' Israeli's  Calamities  of  Autbors.^-Respecting  the  report 
of  Prior's  having  given  the  profits  of  his  fellowship  to  the  learned  socius  ^ectus^ 
Baker,  see  Walpote's  Life  of  Baker,-  or  as  quoted  ia  Nichols's  Bowyer. 

*  Fabric.  Bibl.  Lat.— Moreri. — Blount's  Censura.— Saxii  Onomast. 


P  R  I  S  C  r  L  L  I  A  N.  335 

own  party.  In  the  year  384,  or,  as  Baronius  in  his  Annals 
writes,  387,  the'  ringleaders  of  this  sect  were  put  to  death 
by  the  emperor  Maximus,  having  been  convicted  before 
the  magistrates  of  the  grossest  immoralities.  These  were, 
Priscillian  himself,  Felicissimus,  and  Armenus,  two  eccle- 
siastics, who  'had  but  very  lately  embraced  his  doctrine; 
Asarinus  and  Aurelias,  two  deacons;  Latronianus,  or,  as 
Jerome  calls  him,  Matronianus,  a  layman ;  and  Eucrocia, 
the  widow  of  the  orator  Delphidius,  who  had  professed 
eloquence  in  the  city  of  Bourdeaux  a  few  years  before. 
These  were  all  beheaded  at  Treves.  The  rest  of  Priscil- 
lian's  followers,  whom  they  could  discover  or  apprehend, 
were  either  banished  or  confined.  The  bodies  of  Priscil- 
lian, and  those  who  suffered  with  him,  were  conveyed  by 
the  friends  and  adherents  into  Spain,  and  there  interred 
with  great  pomp  and  solemnity ;  their  names  were  added 
to  those  of  other  saints  and  martyrs,  their  firmness  extolled, 
and  their  doctrine  embraced  by  such  numbers  of  proselytes 
that  it  spread  in  a  short  time  over  all  the  provinces  between 
the  Pyrenees  and  the  ocean.  The  author  of  the  notes  upon 
Sulpitius  Severus  tells  us  that  he  saw  the  name  of  Priscii- 
liah  in  some  not  very  ancient  martyrologies.  In  practice 
they  did  not  much  differ  from  the  Manichees ;  the  same,  or 
nearly  the  same,  infamous  mysteries,  being  ascribed  to 
both:  for,  in  the  trial  of  Priscillian,  before  the  emperor 
Maximus,  it  was  alledged  that  he  had  countenanced  all 
matmer  of  debauchery,  that  he  had  held  nocturnal  assem- 
blies of  lewd  women,  and  that  he  used  to  pray  naked  among 
them.  Others,  however,  are  of  opinion  that  these  charges 
|iad  hot  much  foundation,  and  that  the  execution  of  Pris-> 
cillian  and  his  followers  was  rather  a  disgrace  than  an  ad- 
vantage to  the  Christian  cause.  ^ 

PRITZ  (John  George),  Puitius,  or  Pritzius,  a  pro- 
testant  divine,  was  born  at  Leipsic  in  1662.  He  was  cho- 
sen in  1707,  at  Gripswalde,  professor  of  divinity,  eccle- 
siastical counsellor,  and  minister ;  which  offices  be  there 
held  till  1711,  when  he  was  called  to  preside  over  the  mi- 
nistry at  Francfort  on  the  Maine.  At  that  place  he  died, 
much  beloved  and  esteemed,  on  the  24th  of  August,  1732. 
Besides  the  works  that  were  published  by  this  learned  au- 
thor, he  was,  from  1687  to  1698,  one  of  the  writers  of  the 
Leipsic  Journal.  He  was  the  author  of  many  compilations 
of  various  kinds,  and  w^ote,  1.  "  A  learned  Introduction  to 

'  Moshcim  and  Milner.— Lardnelr*a  Works. 


336  P  R  I  T  Z.  , 

tf 
.the  reading  of  the  New  Testament,*'  8vo;  th^  best  edition 
is  1724.  2.  ^^  De  Immortalitate  Animae/'  a  cantrovemal 
book,  against  an  English,  writer.  3.  An  edition  of  tbe 
works  of  St.  Macarius.  4.  An  edition  c£  tbe  Greek  Testa- 
ment, with  various  readings,  and  maps.  5.  An  edition  of 
the  letters  of  Milton  ;  and  some  other  works.* 

PROCACCINI  (Julius  Cjesar),  aa  eminent  artist,  waft 
tbe  son  of  Ercole  Procaccini  of  Bologna,  a  painter  of  oon- 
siderable  note.  He  was  bom  in  1548,  and  was  at  first  edu- 
cated as  a  sculptor,  which  be  relinquished,  and  frequented 
tbe  academy  of  tbe  Caracci,  but  tbe  principal  object  of  his 
studies  were  tbe  works  of  Corregio,  and  in  the  opinion  of 
many,  none  ever  approached  nearer  the  grandeur  of  thafc 
style,  particularly  in  easel  pictures,  and  works  of  confined 
composition,  though  his  grace  be  often  meretricious,  and 
his  colour  less  vigorous.  A  Madonna  of  his  at  St^  Loigi  de 
Frances!,  has  been  engraved  as  tbe  work  of  AUegri ;  and 
some  still  better  imitations  may  be  seen  in  the  palace  of  St. 
Vital!  at  Parma,  in  that  of  Caregaat  Genoa^  and  elsewhere. 
Of  his  various  altar-pieces,  the  most  resembling  tbe  manner 
of  Corregio  is  perhaps  that  of  St.  Afra  in  Brescia  r  it  repre* 
sents  Maria  with  the  infant,  amid  an  ogling  and  smiling 
group  of  angels  andsaints,  where  dignity  seems  as  much 
sacrificed  to  grace,  as  in  the  mutual  smile  of  the  Virgin  and 
the  angel  in  his  Nunziata,  at  St.  Antonio  of  Milan  ;  gri- 
maces both,  unworthy  of  the  moment  and  of  the  mystery. 

He  is  sometimes  equally  blameable  for  extravagance  of  ^ 
attitude,  as  in  the  executioner  of  St.  Nazario ;  a  picture 
else  composed  of  charms  and  beauties.  But  »otwithstand<^ 
ing  the  number  and  copiousness  of  his  works,  his  de-^ 
sign  is  correct,  bis  forms  and  draperies  select,  his  in* 
vention  varied,  and  the  whole  together  has  a  certain  gran«- 
deur  and  breadth  which  he  either  acquired  from  the  t!]!a- 
racci,  or  like  them  derived  from  Corregio.  He  died  ii^ 
1626,  at  the  age  of  78.  He  had  two  brothers,  both 
painters,  but  not  of  equal  merit  with  himself ;  Camilio, 
who  practised  in  history  painting,  and  Carlo  Antonio,  who 
adopted  landscape.  The  latter  left|t  son  Ercole,  called  tbe 
Young,  who  painted  flower-pieces  with  considerable  skill, 
and  died  in  1676,  aged  80.' 

PROCLUS,  an  eminent  philosopher  among  tbe  later 
Platonists,  was  born  at  Constantinople  in  the  year  410,  ctf 

i  BIbl.  German.  toI.  XXVIH.— Moreri. 
'  Argenvillei  rol.  H.— -Pilkiogtoa  by  ?us€li. 


P  R  O  C  L  U  S.  337 

parents  who  w-ere  lipth  able  and  willing  to  provide  for  his' 
insitruction  in  all  the  various  branches  of  learning  and  kndw-^ 
ledge.:  He  Was  first  sent  to  Xanthus,  a  city  of  Lycia,  to' 
learn  grammar;  thence  to  Alexandria,  where  he  was  ikn^^ 
der  the  best  masters  in  rhetoric,  philosophy,  and  mathe-> 
matics ;  and  from  Alexandria  he  removed  to  Athens,  where 
be  heard  Plutarch,  the  son  of  Nestorius,  and  Syilantis,  botlt 
of  them  Celebrated  philosophers.  He  succeeded  the  last 
in  the  rectorship  of  the  Platonic  school  at  Athens,  where' 
he  died  in  the  year.  485.  Marinias  of  Naples,  who  was  his' 
successor  in  the  school,  wrote  his  life ;  and  the  first  perfect* 
copy  of  it  was  published,  with  a  Latin  version  and  notes^ 
by  Fabricius,  Hamburgh,  J 700,  4to,  and  afterwards  sub-' 
joined  to  bis  <t  Bibliotheca  Latina,  1703,"- 8vo. 
.  He  wrote  a  vast  number  bf  works  in  various  ways;  many 
of  which  are  lost,  some  are  published,  and  a  few  remain 
still  in  manuscript  only.  Of  the  published,  there  are  four- 
very  elegant^  hymns;  one  to  the  **  Sun,"  two  to  •*  Venus/' 
and  one  to  the  "  Muses,"  of  all  which  Godfrey  Olearius,^ 
and  Grotius,  wrote  Latin  versions.  There  are  "Commen- 
taries, upon  several  pieces  of  Plato/'  upon  the  four, books 
of  Claudius.  PtoiemoBus  '^  De  judiciis  Astrorum,"  upon  the 
first  book  of  "  Euclid's  Elements,"  and  upon  Hesiod*s 
**  Opera  &  Dies."  There  are  also  works  of  Proclus  upon 
philosophical  and  astronomical  subjects;  particularly  the 
piece  "De  Spheera,"  which  was  published  in  1620,  4to,  by 
Bainbridge,  the  Savilian  professor  of  astronomy  at  Oxford.' 
Lastly,  we  may  mention  his  "  Argumenta  XVIII.  adversus- 
Cbristianos ;''  which,  though  the  learned  Cave  supposed 
them  to  be  lost,  are  still  extant.  Cave,  concluding  too 
much  ffom  the  title  of  this  piece,  and  from  what  Suidas 
says  of  Proclus,  was  led  to  rank  him  with  Celsus,  Julian,. 
Porphyry,  as  a  professed  and  bitter  adversary  of  Christir 
anity :  whereas  Proclus  only  attacks  the  Christians  upon 
this  syigle  dogma,  ^^  whether  the  world  be  eternal?"  the 
affirmative  of  which  he  attempts  to  prove  against  them  by. 
eighteen  arguments.  Joannes  Philoponus  refuted  these 
arguments  of  Proclus,  with  eigliteen  arguments  for  the  ne- 
gative: and  both  the  one  and  the  other,  for  they  are  inter- 
woven, have  been  printed  more  than  once  with  Latin  ver- 
sions. 

..  The  character  of  Proclus  is  that  of  all  the  later  Platonists, 
wbo   were   in   truth   much    greater  enthusiasts   than    the 
Christians  their  contemporaries,  whom  they  represented  in. 
Vol.  XXy.  Z 


iU  >  RO  C  L  U  S. 

s 

thift  light.  Proclns  was  not  reckotoed  quite  orthodax  by  fai9 
order  t  he  did  not  adhere  so  religiouslj^  as  Julian  and  Pot^ 
phyry,  to  the  doctrines  and  principles  of  his  master :  ^'  bm 
had^'*  says  Cudworth^  ^*  some  peculiar  fancies  and  wbimsief 
of  bis  own,  and  was  indeed  a  confounder  of  tbe  Platonic 
theology,  and  a'  mingWr  of  much  iinini;eU%ible  staff 
wkb  it.'-* 

PROCOPiUS,  an  ancient  Greek  historian  of  the  sixO^ 
century,  was  born  at  Casarea  in  Palestine,  and  wenltb^ioe 
to  Constantinople  in  the  time  of  the  emperor  Anastaslnaf 
whose  esteem  he  obtained,  as  well  as  that  of  Justin  thm- 
first,  and  Jiratinian.  His  profession  was  that  of  m  rhetorieico 
and  pleader  of  causes.  He  was  advanced  to  be  secretary  td 
Belisarius,  and  attended  that  renowned  general  iii  tbd  wars 
of  Persia,  Africa,  and  Italy.  He  afterwards  was  admitted 
into  the  seaate,  and  because  prefect  or  governor  of  thi» 
city  at  Constantinople;  where  he  secrms  to  baiwe  diedy 
tomewbat  above  sixty,  about  the  year  560.  His  faistoi^ 
contains  eight  books ;  two,  of  the  Persian  war,  which  aret 
epitomize  by  Phottus,  in  the  sixty^tbird  chapter  of  him 
**  Bibliotbeca  ;■'  two,  of  t;he  wars  of  the  Vandals ;  aadi 
fidiir,  of  that  of  the  Goths;  of  all  which  there  is  a  kind'df^ 
abridgment,  in  tbe  preface  of  Agathias,  who  began  hitf 
bbtory  where  Procopius  left  off.  Besides  these  eight  bociksv' 
Suidas  mentions  a  ninth,  which  comprehends  matters  not 
befojre  published,  and  is  therefore  called  his  anukrof  or  in«; 
edita.  Vossius  thought  that  this  book  was  lost ;  but  it  haitf 
since  been  publiitied,  and  gone  through  many  editions^ 
Many  learned  men  have  beer)  of  opinion,  that  this  is  a  spiO'*' 
rions  work,  and  falsely  ascribed  to  Procopins ;  and  cannoi} 
be  persuaded,  that  be,  who  in  the  eight  books  represented^ 
Justinian^  Theodora^  and  Belisarius^  in  a  very  advantageous^ 
light,  sboisld  in  this  nmtfa  have  made  such  a  calLectioa>  oft 
particulars  as' amounts  to,  an  invective  against  them;  and- 
Le  Vayer  was  so'  sensibly  a^cted  with  this  argument)  tiMil^ 
be  declares  aH  Procopius's  history  to  be  ridiculons^  if  etBt 
so  little  credit  be*  given:  to  the  calanioies  of  this  piece.  F^ 
brieius,  however^  sees  do  reason,  why  this  secret  kistofjfr 
VMy  not  have  been  written  by  PvocopiuS ;  and  be  prodace» 
several  examples,>and thatof  Cicero  amongst tbem^  to^sfhew^ 
that  nothing  has  been  more  usual,  than  for  writers  to-  mtal 
greater  liberties  in  their  private  accounts^  than  they  ean 


>  Bra cker. ^Fabric 
'^Acadtmie  des 


fabric.  Bibl.  Ore«.—Hatton*s  Diet— Life  by  Bari^p^an  Ui^ 
Inscriptions,  ▼ol.  XX3CI.— Blount'g  Censunu-*-Saxii  OuoousU 


P  R  O  C  0  P  I  U  S.  339 

if^eoture  to  introduce  in  what  was  designed  for  the  public* 
There  is  anbiher  work  of  Procopius,  still  extant,  entitled^ 
^^^nfffiormf  sive  de  eedificiis  conditis  vel  restauratis  auspicio 
Jttstiniani  Imperatoris  libri  vi.'*  which,  with  his  eight  hooka 
of  histojry,  were  first  renewed  in  Greek  by  Hoescheiiu$.  in 
1607;  for  the  book  of  anecdotes,  though*  published  in 
1624,  was  not  added  to  these,  till  the  edition  of  Paris,  1662, 
io  folio,  when  they  were  all  accompanied  with  Latin  versions/ 
..The  learned  have  been  much  divided,  nor  are  they  yeH 
agreed,  aijout  the  religion  of  Procopius  :  some  contending^: 
that  he  was  an  Heathen,  some  that,  he  was  a  Christian,  and 
Si6iiie  thai  he  was  both  Heathen  and  Christian  :  of  which 
last. opinion  was  the  learned  Cave.  Le  Vayer  declares 
for  the  Pitganisni  of  Procopius,  and  quotes  the  following^ 
passage  from  his  first  book  of  the  **  Wars  of  the  Goths,** 
which,  be  says,  is  sufficient  to  undeceive  those  who  coosi** 
dered  him  as  a  Christian  historian.  ^'  I  will  not  trouble 
^lyseif,"  says  he,  speaking  of  the  different  opinions  of 
Christians,  ^^  to  relate  the  subject  of  such  controversies, 
although  it  is  not  unknown  to  me  ;  because  I  hold  it  a  vain 
desire  to  comprehend  the  divine  nature,  and  understand 
what  God  is.  Human  wit  knows  not  the  things  here  below; 
how  then  can  it  be  satisfied  in  the  search  after  divinity  ?  I 
e.(nit  therefore  such  vain  matter,  and  which  only  the  credii- 
lily  of  man  causes  to  be  respected ;  content  with  acknow* 
ledging,.  that  there  is  one  God  full  of  bounty,  who  governs 
us,  and  whose  « power  stretches  over  the  universe.  Let 
every  one  therefore  believe  what  be-  thinks  fit,  whether  he 
be  a  priest  and  tied  to  divine  worship,  or  a  man  of  a  private 
and  seciilar  condition.*'  Fabricius  sees  nothing  in  this  in* 
consistent  with  the  soundness  of  Christian  belief,  and  th^ne- 
fpre  is  not  induced  by  this  declaration,  which  appeared  to 
Le  Vayer,  and  other  learned  men,  to  xiecide  against  Pro- 
Gppius's  Christianity.  This,  however,  whaCever  the  real 
case  niay  he,  seems  to  have  been  allowed  on  all  sides,  that 
Froeopius  was  atJeast  a  Christian  by  name  and  profession; 
and,  that,  if  his  private  persuasion  was  not  with  Christians^- 
he  conformed  to  the  public  worship,  tin  order  to  be  well 
with  the  emperor  Justinian. 

As  an  historian,  he  deserves  an  attentive  reading,  having 
written  of  libings  which  he  knew  with  great  exactness. 
Suidas^x  after  he  had  given  him  the  surname.  6ft  UIiistiriQUSy 
calls  him  rhetorician  and  sophister ;  as  perhaps  he  seems  to 
have  been  too  much  for  an  historian.  He  is  copious ;  but 
his  copiousness  is  rather  Asiatic  than  Athenian,  and  has  in 

Z  2 


340  P  R  O  C  O  P  I  U  S. . 

it  more  of  superflatty  than  true  ornament.  It  may  not 
be  improper  to  mention,  that  Grotius  made  a  Latin  version 
of  Procopius's  two  books  of  the  wars  of  the  Vandals,  and  of 
the  four  books  of  the  wars  with  the  Goths  ;  a  good  edition 
of  which  was  published  at  Amsterdam  in  1655,  dvoJ 

PROCOPIUS  of  Gaza,  a  Greek  rhetorician  and  sophist, 
lived  about  the  year  560,  and  has  left  Commentaries  on  the 
books  of  Kings  and  Chronicles,  published  by  Meursius.  in 
Greek  and  Latin,  Leyden,  1620,  4to;  Commentaries  on 
Isaiah,  printed  at  Paris,  1580,  fol.  Greek  and  Latin  ;  ^^  A 
Chain  of  the  Greek  and  Latin  Fathers  on  the  Octateuch  ;'' 
i.  e.  the  first  eight  books  of  the  Bible,  printed  in  Latin,  fol. 
Photius  praises  the  style  and  accuracy  of  Procopius  Gasseeus, 
but  justly  blames  hin^  for  his  too  long  digressions.^ 

PROCOPIUS   Rasus,    or  The   Shaven,  surnamed  the 
Great,  from  his  valour  and  military  exploits,  was  a  Bohe* 
mian  gentleman,  who,  after  travelling  into  France,  Italy, 
Spain,  and  the  Holy  Land,  was  shaven,  and  even  ordained 
priest,  as  is  said,  against  his  will,  from  whence  he  had  the 
above  epithet  added  to  his  name.     He  afterwards  quitted 
the  ecclesiastical  habit,  and  attached  himself  to  Zisca,  chief 
of  the  Hussites,  who  esteemed  him  highly,  and  placed  a 
particular  confidence  in  him.  Procopius  succeeding  Zisca  in 
1424,  committed  great  rs^vagesin  Moravia,  Austria,  Branden- 
burg, Silesia,  and  Saxony,  and  made  himself  master  of  se- 
veral towns,  and  great  part  of  Bohemia.     He  bad  an  inter- 
view with  Sigismood,  but  not  obtaining  any  of  his  demands 
from  that  prince,  he  continued  the  war.     Upon  bearing 
that  the  council  of  Basil  was  summoned  in  1431,  he  wrote 
a  long  circular  letter  in  Latin,  to  ail  the  states  in  his  own 
nanve,  and  that  of  the  Hussites,  in  the  close  of  which  he 
declared  that  he  and  his  party  were  ready  ta  6ght  in  de- 
fence of  the  four  following  articles :  that  the   public  ir- 
regularities of  the  priests  should  he  prevented  ;  secondly^ 
that  the  clergy  should  return  to  the  state  of  poverty,  in 
which  our  Lord's  disciples  lived  ;  thirdly,  that  all  who  ex- 
ercise the  ministerial  office,  should  be  at  liberty  to  preach 
in  what  manner,  at  what  time,  and  on  what  subjects  they 
chose;  fourthly,  that  the  £ucbari8t  should  be  administered 
according  to  Christ's  institution,  i.  e.  in  both  kinds.     Pro- 
copius also  wrote  a  letter  to  the  emperor  Sigismond,  May 
22^  1432,  requesting  him  to  be  present  with  the  Hussites 

>  Care,    vol.  L-^Vossius  dc  Hist.  Graec— Fabric,  Bibl.  Graec—Bfount's 
Ceosurra. — Saxii  Ooomait. 
i  Cave,  vol.  1.— FabcJc.  Bib!.  Graec. 


P  R  O  C  O  P  I  U  S.  341 

at  the  council  of  Basil.  He  was  there  himself  with  bis  party 
in  1433  :  they  defended  tiie  al>ove -mentioned  articles  very, 
warmly,  but  finding  that  their  demands  were  not  granted, 
withdrew,  and  continued  their  incursions  and  ravages.  Pro- 
copius  died  of  the  wounds  be  received  in  a  battle  in. 1434. 
The  Letters  before  spoken  of,  and  the  proposal  which  he 
made  in  the  name  of  the  Taborites^  may  be  found  in  the 
last  volume  of  the  large  collection  by  Fathers  Martenne  ^nd 
Durand.  He  must  be  distinguished  from  Procopius,  sur- 
named  the  Little,  head  of  part  of  the  Hussite  army,  who 
accompanied  Procopius  the  Great,  and  was  killed  in  the- 
same  actiqn  in  which  the  latter  received  his  mortal  wound.' 
PROPERTIUS  (Sextus  AuRELius),  an  ancient  Roman 
poet,  was  born  at  Mevania,  a  town  in  Umbria,  as  we  learn 
from  his  own  writings,  and  probably  about  the  year  of 
Rome  700.  Some  say,  his  father  was  a  knight,  and  a  man 
of  considerable  authority  ;'^  who,  becoming  a  partizan  with 
Antony,  on  the  capture  of  Perusia,  was  made  prisoner,  and 
killed  by  Augustus's  order,  at  the  altar  erected  to  Csesar  ; 
when  his  estate  was  forfeited  of  course.  This  which  hap- 
pened when  the  poet  was  very  young,  he  alludes  to  in  one 
of  his  elegies,  and  laments  the  ruin  of  his  family  in  that 
early  season  of  his  life.  His  wit  and  learning  soon  recom* 
mended  him  to  the  patronage  of  Mcecenas  and  Gallus  ;  and 
among  the  poets  of  his  time,  he  was  very  intimate  with' 
Ovid  and  Tibullus.  We  have  no  particular  account  of  his 
life,  or  the  manner  of  his  death ;  only  he  mentions  his 
taking  a  journey  to  Athens,  probably  in  company  with  his 
patron  Maecenas,  who  attended  Augustus  in  his  progress 
through  Greece.  Those  that  make  him  live  the  longest, 
carry  his  age  no  higher  than  forty-one.  His  death  is 
.usually  placed  B.  C.  10.  The  jgreat  object  of  his  imitation 
was  Callimachus ;  Mimnermus  and  Philetas  were  two  others,' 
whom  he  likewise  admired  and  followed  in  his  elegies. 
Quintilian  tells  us,  that  Propertius  disputed  the  prize  with 
Tibullus,  among  the  critics  of  his  time ;  and  the  youngeir 
Pliny,  speaking  of  Passienus,  an  eminent  ^nd  learned  ele- 
giac poet  of  his  acquaintance,  says,  that  this  talent  was  he- 
reditary and  natural ;  for  that  he  was  a  descendant  and 
countryman  of  Propertius.  Propertius  however  was  infe- 
rior to  Tibullus  in  tenderness,  and  to  Ovid  in  variety  of 
fancy,  and  facility  of  expression  ;  still  it  must  be  granted 
t|)at  he,  w^s  equal  in  harmony  of  numbers,  and  certainly 

<  Moreri.-r-Diot.  Hi»t.--^ Universal  History, 


S4ir  P  R  O  P  E  R  T  I  U  S. 

gave  the  firdt  specimen  of  the  poetical  epistle,  which  Ovid 
afterwards  claimed  as  his  invention. 

The  works  of  this  poet  are  printed  with  almost  all  the 
editions  of  Tibullus  and  Catullus;  and  separately  b^ 
3rouckhusius  at  Amsterdam,  in  1702,  in  4to;  again  in 
1724,  4to;  by  Vulpius  in  1755,  with  select  notes  from 
Brouckhusius  and  l^asserat,  and  a  learned  commentary  of  his 
own,  in  2  vols.  4to,  and  in  a  form  to  accompany  his  Catal-^ 
lus  and  Tibullus ;  by  Frid.  Gottl.  Barthius,  at  Leipsic,  in 
1777;  by  Burman  (posthumou9)  1780,  4to,  by  far  the  best 
edition  ;  and  lastly  by  Kuinoelus,  at  Leipsic,  1805,  8vo.* 
'  PROSPER  (St.)  of  Aquitaine,  a  celebrated,  learned 
and  pious  writer,  in  the  5th  century,  and  one  of  the  greatest 
defenders  of  the  grace  of  Christ,  after  St.  Augustine,  Vas 
secretary  to  St.  Leo,  and  is  even  supposed  by  some  critics 
to  have  been  author  of  the  epistle  addressed  by  that  pope 
to  Flavian  against  the  Eutychian  heresy.  Prosper  had  before 
zealously  defended  the  books  of  St.  Augustine,  to  whom  he 
wrote  in  the  year  429,  concerning  the  errors  of  the  Semi-* 
Pelagians,  which  had  recently  appeared  in  Gaul ;  and  after 
St.  Augustine's  death,  be  continued  to  support  his  doctrine, 
which  he  did  in  a  candid  and  argumentative  manner.  Pros-' 
per  answered  the  objections  of  the  priests  of  Marseilles,  re- 
futed the  conferences  of  Cassian,  in  a  book  entitled 
**  Contra  Collatoi;em,*'  arid  composed  several  pther  works, 
in  which  he.explains  the  orthodox  doctrine,  with  the  skill 
of  an  able  divine,  against  the  errors  of  the  Pelagians  and 
Semi- Pelagians.  Many  learned  men  have  asserted,  with 
great  appearance  pf  probability,  that  Prosper  was  only  a 
layman ;  but  others,  with  very  little  foundation,  suppose 
him  to  have  been  bishop  of  Reggio  in  Italy,  or  rather  of 
Riez  in  Provence.  The  time  of  his  death  is  not  ascertained; 
but  he  was  alive  in  463.  The  best  edition  of  his  works  is 
that  of  Paris,  1711,  folio,  by  M.  Mangeant,  reprinted  at 
Rome,  1732,  8vo.  Prosper's  poem  against  the  Ungrateful, ' 
L  e.  against  the  enemies  of  the  grace  of  Christ,  is  particu- 
larly admired.  M.  le  Maistre  de-  Sacy  has  given  an  ele- 
gant translation  of  it  in  French  verse,  12mo.  Our  author 
must  be  distinguished,  however,  from  another  Prosper,  who 
lived  about  the  same  time,  and  went  from  Africa,  his  na- 
tive country,  into  Italy,  to  avoid  the  persecution  of  the 
Vandals.  This  Prosper,  called  **  the  African,"  was  author 
of  a  treatise  on  the  Call  of  the  Gentiles,  which  is  esteemed, 

1  Crosias's  Lives  of  the  Roman  Poets.— Fabric*  Bibl.  Ltt, 


PROSPER.  34$ 

md  of  the  **  Epistle  to  the  Virgin  Demetriad^/'  in  the 
'^Appendix  Augustiniaoa,"  Antwerp,   170$,  fol.* 

PROTAGORAS,  a  celebrated  Greek  philosopher  of 
Abdera,  is  said  by  some  to  have  been  the  son  of  a  rich 
Thracian,  but  by  others  to  have  been  of  low  birth,  and  to 
have  followed  the  trade  of  a  porter.  He  was  ins|;ructed  iti 
philosophy  by  Denaocritus,  and,  though  his  genins  was  ra« 
ther  subtle  than  solid,  taught  at  Athens  with  great  reputa^^ 
tion  ;  but  was  at  length  driven  from  thence  on  account  of 
his  impiet}^,  for  he  questioned  the  existence  of  a  deity,  and 
had  begun  one  of  his  books  with  the  following  inipious  ex^t 
pressioiis  :  **  I  cannot  tell  whether  there  are  any  Gods,  or 
hot ;  many  circumstances  concur  to  prevent  my  knowing  it^ 
as  the  uncertaintj^  of  the  thing  in  itself,  and  the  shortness 
0f  hunnan  life.^'  This  book,  which  was  publicly  burnt) 
having  occasioned  his  banishment  from  Athens,  he  theti 
▼isited  the  islands  of  the  Mediterranean,  find  lived  vMinf 
years  in  Epirus.  Protagoras  is  said  to  have  been  the  fvrst 
philosopher  who  received  money  for  teaching.  He  fhii^ 
rished  about  619  B.  C.  and  died  at  a  very  advanced  age,  al 
he  was  going  into  Sicily.  His  usual  method  of  reasoning 
^as  by  Dilemmas,  leaving  the  mind  in  suspense  concerning 
all  the  questions  which  he  proposed  ;  on  which  subject  the 
following  story  is  told  of  a  rich  young  man  rianied  Evathins^ 
This  ^outb,  having  been  received  as  hisi  discipk^  for  ft 
htrge  sum,  half  of  which  he  paid  at  first,  ai>^  was  Ko  pay 
the  remainder  when  he  bad  gained  his  first  eauie,  remained 
a  long  time  in  our  philosopher's  school,  without  troubling 
himself  either  about  pleading  or  paying,  which  induc^ 
Protagoras  to  commence  a  law-suit  for  his  mOftey.  Wh^d 
they  came  before  the  judges,  the  young  infan  defi^ded 
himself  by  saying,  that  he  had  not  yet  gained  ai^y  cause } 
upon  which  Protagoras  proposed  this  dileo^ma :  ^*  If  I  gain 
iby  cause,  thou  wilt  be  sentenced  to  pay  m^r^^><^  if  tbba 
gainest  it,  thou  art  in  my  debt,  according  to  our  agree- 
tnent.''  But,  Evathlus,  well  instructed  by  his  master,  re** 
torted  the  dilemma  upoii  him  thus  :  *\lt  the  judges  re]ec(!»6 
ine  I  owe  thee  nothing,  and  if  they  order  me  to  pay  th6 
money,  then  I  owe  thee  nothings  according  to  our  agree- 
Bient,  for  I  shall  not  have  gained  my  cause."  The  judges^ 
it  is  added,  were  so  embarrassed  by  these  quibbles,  that 

^  Memoir*  of  Literature,  toI.  V.— Cave,  fol.  I.-^icunl's  Centora. — Saxii 
Onomast.-rMilner's  Ch.  Hist.  rol.  IL  p.  549. 


H*  P  R  D  T  A  P  P  R  A  S. 

they  Ijsft  the.  matter  undecided.  This  stqry  hdt9  the  ftp? 
pearance  of  a  fictipn,  but  Protagoras  ceitainly  made  it  hia 
business  to  furnish  subtle  arguments  to  dazzle  and  blind 
the  judges,  nor  was  he  ashamed  to  profess  himself  ready  to 
teach  tl^e  means  of  making  the  worse  cause  appear  th^ 
better.' 

PROTOGENES,  a  famous  ancient  painter,  was  a  native 
of  Caunus,  a  city  of  Caria  subject  to  the  Rhodians.  Who 
was  his  father,  or  his  mother,'  is  not  known  ;  but  it  is  probar 
ble.  enough  that  he  had  no  other  master  than  the  public 
pieces  that  he  saw ;  and  perhaps  his  parents,  being  poor^ 
cpuld  not  be  at  any  such  expence  for  his  education  in  the 
firt,  as  was  customary  at  that  time.  It  is  certain  that  he 
was  obliged  at  first  to  paint  ships  for  his  livelihood:  but 
\As  ambition  was  not  be  rich;  his  aim  being  solely  to  be 
master  of  his  profession.  ~  He  finished  his  pictures  with 
l»uch  anxiops  care,  that  Apelles  said  of  him,  he  never  knew 
when  he  had  done  well.  The  finest  of  his  pieces  wa^  the 
picture  of  Jalisus,  meutioned  by  several  authors  without 
giving  any  description  of  it^  or  telling  us  who  Jalisus  was  : 
some  suppose  him  to  have  been  a  famous  hunter,  and  the 
founder  of  Rhodes.  It  is  said  that  for  seven  years,  while 
Protogenes  worked  on  this  picture,  all  his  food  was  lupines 
paized  with  a  little  water,  which  served  him  both  for  meat 
$knd.  drink  *.  Apelles  was  so  struck  with  this  piece,  that 
he  could  find  no  words  to  express  his  admiration.  It  wa^ 
^his  same  picture  that  saved  the  city  of  Rhodes,  when  be-t 
sieged  by  king  Demetrius  ;  for^  not  being  able  to  attack  it 
bpt  on  that  side,  where  Protogenes  w^ls  at  work,  he  chose 
rather  to.abs^ndon  bis  hopes  of  conquest,  than  to  destroy  so 
fine  a  piece  as  tha(  of  Jalisus. 

The  story  of  t\ie  contest  between  Protogenes  and  Apelle^ 
is  well  known  by  the  tale  which  Prior  has  founded  on  it. 
Apelles,  hearing  of  the  reputation  of  Protogenes^  went  to 
Rhodes  on  purpose  to  ^fie  his  works.  On  his  arrival  there, 
he  found  in  the  house  only  an  old  woms^n  ;  who  asking  his 
name,  be  answered,  ^*  I  am  going  to  write  it  upon  the  can- 
yas  tbs^t  lies  h^re;''  andy  ticking  his  penpil  with  cplour  on 

*  After  seven  years  spent  upon  it,  Uirew  hia  spnnge  nf!:ainst  it  in  order  (o 

be   remained  still  cliagrined,  because  efface  it;  and  this  luck  iiy  produced  by 

baying  represented  in  it  a  ^og  papting  rhance  whi\t  his.  art  could  not  effect,-^ 

and  out  of  breath,  lie  was  ndt  able  to  The  same  story,  hoivever,    is  told  ot 

draw  the  foam  at  his  Inaulhj  which  Neodes  and   Apelles,  respectini^  tbe 

vexed  him  to  such  a  degree  that  hf  foam  of  a  horse. 

1  Stanley'sHist.  of  Philosophy  .—Brucker.—Dict.  Hist. 


P  R  O  T  O  G  E  N  E  S.  345 

kj  designed  something  with  extreme  delicacy.  Protogenes 
coming  home,  the  old  woman  told  him  what  had  passed, 
and  shewed  him  the  canvas ;  who,  then  attentively  observ- 
ing the  beauty  of  the  lines,  said  it  was  certainly  Apelles 
who  had  been  there,  and  taking  another  colour,  he  drew  on 
those  lines  an  outline  more  correct  and  more  delicate;  after 
which  he  went  put  again,  bidding  the  old  woman  shew  that 
to  the  person  who  had  been  there,  if  he  returned,  and  tell 
him  that  was  the  man  he  inquired  for.  Apelles  returning, 
and  being  ashamed  to  see  himself  outdone,  took  a  third 
eblour,  and,  among  the  lines  that  bad  been  drawn,  laid  bn 
some  with  so  much  judgment,  as  to  comprise  all  the  subtlety 
of  the  art.  Protogenes  saw  these  in  his  turn,  confessed  bis 
inferiority,  and  ran  in  haste  to  find  out  Apelles. 

Pliny,  who  tells  this  story,  says  that  he  saw  this  piece 
of  canvas,  before  it  was  consumed  in  the  fire  which  burnt 
the  emperor's  palace;  that  there  was  nothing  upon  it,  but 
some  lines,  which  could  scarcely  be  distinguished ;  and 
yet  this  fragment  was  more  valued  than  any  of-  the  pic- 
tures among  which  it  was  placed.  The  same  author  in- 
forms us  that  Apelles  asking  this  rival  what  price  he  had 
for  his  pictures  ;  and  Protogenes  naming  an  inconsiderable 
sum,  according  to  the  hard  fortune  of  those  who  are  ob- 
liged to  work  for  their  bread,  Apelles,  concerned  'at  the 
injustice  done  to  the  beauty  of  his  productions,  gave  him 
fifty  talents,  equal  to  10,000/.  for  one  picture  only,  de- 
claring publicly,  that  be  would  make  it  pass  and  sell  it  for 
his  own.  This  generosity  opened  the  eyes  of  the  Rhodians 
as  to  the  merit  of  Protogenes,  an^  made  them  purchase 
this  picture  at  a  niuch  greater  price  than  Apelles  had 
given.  Pliny  also  informs  us,  that  Protogenes  was  a  sculp- 
tor as  well  as  a  painter.  He  flourished  abojit  the  lOSth 
olympiad,  or  308  B.  C.  Quintilian,  observing  the  talents 
of  six  famous  painters,  says,  Protogenes  excelled  in  ex- 
actness, Pampbilius  and  Melanthus  in  the  disposition,  An- 
tiphilus  in  easiness,  Theon  the  Samian^  in  fruitfulness  of 
ideas,  and  Apelles  in  grace  and  ingenious  conceptions.^ 

PRUBENTIUS  (Clemens  Aurelius),  an  ancient 
Christian  poet,  was  born  in  Spain  in  the  year  348 ;  but  in 
what  part  is  uncertain.  He  was  brought  up  a  lawyer  ;  and, 
being  called  to  the  bar,  was  afterwards  made  a  ju<lge  in 
two  considerable  towns.     He  was  then  promoted  by  t|;ie 

\  PHo.  Nat,  Hitt. 


846  P  R  U  D  E  N  T  I  U  ». 

^lOP^roi^  Honoriua  to  a  yery  bigb  office;  bat  not  to  th^ 
coii$uIate»  as  some  have  imagined.  He  was  6fty-seveo 
before  he  employed  his  mind  on  religion,  and  then  wrote 
bis  pc^ems  on  pious  subjects!,  which  ^re  npitber  deficient  iri 
^he  true  poetic  spirit,  nor  much  imbued  with  it.  He 
9f(ep  uses  b^rsb  e:i^pres$ions»  pot  r^qpncikable  to  pure 
i^»tinity>  and  i«  even  guilty  pf  fal^e  quantity.  Tbe^e  effii*^ 
>ionf,  tP  which  be  chiefly  gave  Greek  titles',  are,  "Psycho-* 
macbia)  Qr  The  Cpmbftt  of  the  Soul ;"  "  Catbemerinon,  or 
Ppemn  concerning  ea^b  day's  duty ;"  '*  TUn  r^amr,  or 
Uymm  \n  Prfti^e  of  M^rtyr^ ;"  "  Apotheosis,  pr  Treatisea 
Vppn  divine  subject^  against  Jev^s,  InQ^els^  ^nd  Heretics  ;'*" 
^'  HaiQMigena»  or  cqncerniog  Original  Sin>  against  Marn 
cion  ;''  **  Twp  Pooks  against  Syoioiaqhus  ;*'  "  Dipiichqn, 
(ir  some  Histories  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament  in  dis- 
liistis,"  In  the  two  books  against  Symmacbus,  be  shews 
the  original  of  false  deities,  gives  an  account;  pf  the  cpnveri 
lion  pf  the  city  of  Rome ;  and  answers  the  petition*  which 
Symmacbus  presented  to  the  emperors,  to  pbti^in  the  re-* 
establishment  of  the  Altar  of  Yiptory,  and  other  cerecna<» 
uiet^  of  the  pagan  religion.  These  books  were  written  bet 
fore  the  victory  gained  over  Radag^is.us  in  the  year  404^, 
aind  after  that  which  Stilicbo  won  over  A  Uric  near  Pol- 
leptinin  the  year  402  :  for  he  pi^entipnsi  the  IWer,  and  sayi 
nothing  qf  the  former,  though  his  subject  required  it. 

The  time  of  Prudentius's  death  is  ppt  mentjoned.  HiH 
WQr](s  were  published  by  Aldus  at  Venice  in  1301,  4to,  and 
tb«t  edition  has  been  followed  by  many  others^  A  Varior 
rum  edition  was  published  by  Weitzius^,  at  Hanau,  in  1613; 
another,  with  the  notes  and  cprrections  of  Nicbpl$is  (lein-f 
sius,  at  Amsterdam,  in  1667 1  19mo,'  neatly  printed  by 
.Daniel  Elzevir;  another  '^  In  usu.m  Delpbini,*'  by  fatbef 
Cbftmillard,  at  Paris,  1687,  4tp,  and  a  splendid  edition  at 
Rome  in  1788,  4to.  > 

PIIYNN£  (W11.LIAM),  an  English  lawyer,  who  was  much 
distinguished  by  the  number  rather  than  ei;ccllence  of  bis. 
publications,  during  the  reign  of  Charles  I.  was  bom  in 
16Q0,  at  Swanswick  in  Soosersetsbire,  and  e4uoated  at  a 
grammar- school  in  the  city  of  Batb.  He  became  a  ca<tt*' 
moner  of  Oriel  college,  Oxford,  in  1616  ;  and,  after  taking 
a  bachelor  of  arts'  degree,  in  1620,  removed  t6  Lincoln^&r 

1  Gen.  Diet. — M^reri.— Lardoer's  Works.— BIouDt's  Crnsura. — Jortin^s  Ob* 
seirationi.  vol.  Ill.—Saxii  Ooomast. 


P  R  Y  N  N  E. 


347 


if(nt  vebere  be  studied  the  law,  and  wa$  made  toccesaively 
1>arrister,  bencberi  and  reader.  At  his  first  cotoing  to  that 
inn,  be  was  a  great  admirer  and  foilower  of  Dr.  Preston^ 
preacher  to  the  inn  (see  Peeston),  and  published  seve* 
ral  books  against  what  be  thought  the  enorfoities  of  fhe 
age,  and  the  doctrine  and  discipline  of  the  church.  His 
<<  Histriomastix/'  which  came  out  in  16S2,  giving  grea( 
offence  to  the  court,  he  was  committed  jprisoner  to  the 
Tower  of  London ;  and,  in  16^3,  i»entenced  by  the  Star* 
chamber,  to  be  fined  5000/.  to  the  king,  pxpelled  the  vmtfr 
versity  of  Oxford  aud  Lincoin's^inn,  degraded  and  diie»4 
abled  from  his  profession  of  the  law,  to  stand  in  the  pilt- 
lory  and  lose  bis  ears,  to  have  bis  book  publicly  burot  be**, 
fore  his  face,  and  to  remain  prisotier  during  life.  Prynne 
was  certainly  here'  treated  with  very  anjust  severity;  for 
Wbitelocke  observes,  that  the  book  wils  Uoens^ed  by  areb^. 
btsbop  Abbot's  cbaplaiii,  and  was  fluenely  an  Invective 
agaiinst  plays  and  plajrers; '  but  there  being  f  ^  a  reference'  i«i 
tbe  table  of  this  book  to  this  eSectf'  wamen^oeiors  noto*- 
riota  wfunres,  relating  to  some  iMosnen'^ctora  mentioned  Hbl 
bb  book,  a^  he  affirmeth,  it  happened,  that  about  sis 
wreks  after  tt^is  the  queea  acted-  a  .pact  in  a  plastoral  &t;  Sq^ 
werset-bouse ;  and  then  archbishop  Laud  and  other  pre- 
lates, whom  Prynne  bad  angeired'  by  soqie  books  of  hia 
'  against  ■  Arminianism^ '  and  against  the  jurisdictioa  of 
^shops,  and  by  some  prohibitions  vfhiqh  he  had  moved^ 
and  got  to  the  bigfa  commission-court ;  these  prelates,  and: 
their  instruments,  thenext  day  after  the  queen  bad  acted 
ber  pastoral,  shewed  Prynne- s  book  against  plays  to  the 
king,  and  that  place  in  it,  Taamen-actors  notarums  whores  p. 
and  they  informed  the  king  and  queen>  that  Pcynne  had 
purposely  written  this  book  against  the  queen  and  her  pas-* 
^ral ;  whereas  it  was  published  six  weel|Ls  before  that  pas- 
toral was  acted/' 

After  the  sentence  upon  Prynne  was  executed,  as  it  wast 
rigorously  enough  in  May  1634,  he  was  remitted  to  prisoa^. 


*  The  following  particulars  are  ex- 
tracted from  the  Joamat  of  Sir  Si- 
nionds  D'Emtcs.  "  May  8,  1604,  I 
departed  from  StowhafI  towards  Lon- 
daa  I  aod  the  next  day  in  the  after- 
noon came  safe  thither.  As  soon  as  I 
Ifgdted  I  heard  a  particular  newes, 
which  much  ensadded  my  heart,  touch- 
mg  William.  PriaBe,  esquire,  that  had 


been  an  utter  barrister  of  Lincolnei 
Inne,  and  a  graduate  in  the  unirersitie 
of  Oxforde,  who  had  lost  one  eare  aU 
readie  in  the  piilorie,  or  a  parte  of  it, 
and  was  to  lose  a  parte  of  the  other  to^ 
morrow.  He  was  a  most  learned,  re- 
ligious gentleman,  had  written  manie 
acute,  solid,  and  elaborate  treatises, 
dot  only  against  the  blasphemous  Ana- 


S48 


P  R  Y  N  N  E. 


In  June  following,  as  soon  as  he  could  procure  pen,  ink, 
and  paper,  he  wrote  a  severe  letter  to  archbishop  Laud 
concerning  his  sentence  in  the  Star* chamber,  and  what  the 
archbishop  in  particular  had  declared  against  him;  who 
acquainted  the  king  with  this  letter,  on  which  his  nciajesty 
commanded  the  archbishop  to  refer  it  to  Noy  the  attorney- 
general.  Noy  sent  for  Prynne,  and  demanded  whether 
the  letter  was  of  his  hand- writing  or  not ;  who  desiring  to 
see  it,  tore  it  to  pieces,  and  threw  the  pieces  oiit  of  the 
window ;  which  prevented  a  farther  prosecution  of  him. 
In  1635,  1636,  and  1637,  he  published  several  books: 
particularly  one  entitled  ^^  News  from  Ipswich,"  in  which 
he  reflected  with  great  coarseness  of  language  on  the  arch* 
Ibishop  and  other  prelates.  The  mildest  of  his  epithets 
were  **  Luciferian  lord  bishops,  execrable  traitors,  devour- 
ing wolves,"  &c.  For  this  he  was  sentenced  in  the  Star-^ 
chamber,  in  June  1637,  to  be  fined  5000/.  to  the  king,  to 
lose  the  remainder  of  his  ears  in  the  pillory,  to  be  branded 
on  both  cheeks  with  the  letters  S.  L.  for  schismatical 
libeller,  and  to  be  perpetually  imprisoned  in  Caernarvon- 
castle.  This  sentence  was  executed  in  July,  in  Palace* 
yard,  WesttniDster ;  but,  in  January  following,  he  was  re- 
,  moved  to  Mount  Orgueil  cattle  in  the  isle  of  Jersey,  where 
he  exercised  his  pen  in  writing  several  books.  On  Nov.  7^ 
1640,  an  order  was  issued  by  the  House  of  Commons  for 
bis  releasemeot  from  prison ;  and  the  same  month  he  en- 
tered with  great  triumph  into  London.  In  December 
following,  he  presented  a  petition  representing  what  he 
had  suffered  from  Laud,  for  which  Wood  tells  us  he  had  a 
recompense  allowed  him  ;  but  Prynne  positively  denies 
that  he  ever  received  a  farthing.  He  was  soon  after  elected 
a  member  of  parliament  for  Newport  in  Cornwall,  and  op-- 
posed  the  bishops,  especially  the  airobbishop,  with  great 


baplists,  in  the  defence  of  God's  grace 
and  providence,  but  against  the  rices 
of  the  clergie  and  the  abides  of  the 
times.  He  had  been  censured  in  the 
Starre-Cbamber  a  few  months  before, 
for  soqoe  passages  in  a  boo|ce  bee  wrete 
against  stages  plaies,  called  *  Histrio- 
mastix/  as  if  be  had  in  them  let  slippe 
some  wordes  tending  to  the  queene's 
dishonour,  because  he  spoke  against 
the  unlawfulness  of  m^.n  wearing  wo- 
men^s  apparel,  and  women  men's. 
Nothwitbstanding  this  censure,  which 
most  men  were  affrighted  at,   to  see 


that  neither  his  academical  nor  bar« 
rister's  gowne  could  free  him  from  the 
hifamous  losse  of  his  eares,  yet  all 
good  men  genera  I  lie  conceived  it  would 
have  been  remitted;  and  manie  re- 
ported it  was,  till  the  sadd  and  fat^U 
execution  of  it  this  Midsummer  terme. 
I  weoi  to  visit,  him  a  while  after  in  the 
Fleet,  and  to  comforte  him;  and  found 
in  him  the  rate  effects  of  an  upright 
heart  and  a  good  conscience,  by  his 
serenitie  of  spirit  and  chearefull  pa- 
tieqce.''.  Biblioih.  Topog.  Briu  No, 
XV.  p.  55. 


P  R  Y  N  N  E.  349 

vigour,  both  by  his  speeches  and  writings ;    and  was  the 
chief  manager  of  that  prelate's  trial.     In  1647,  he  was  one 
of  the  parliamentary  visitors  of  the  university  of  Oxford. 
During  his  sitting  in  the  Long  Parliament,  he  was  very 
zealous  for  the  presbyterian  cause ;  hut  when  the  inde- 
pendents began  to  gain  the  ascendant,  shewed  himself  a 
warm  opposer  of  them,  and  promoted  the  king's  interest. 
He  made  a  long  speech  in  the  Rouse  of  Commons,  con- 
cerning the  satisfactoriness  of  the  king's  answers  to  the 
propositions  of  peace ;  and  for  that  cause  was,  two  days 
after,  refused  entrance  into  the  House  by  the  army.     This 
remarkable  speech  he  published  in  a  quarto  pamphlet,  with 
an  appendix,  in  which  he  informs  us,  that  '^  being  uttered 
with  much  pathetique  seriousnesse,  and  heard  with  great 
attention,  it  gave  such  generall  satisfaction  to  the  House, 
that  many  members,  formerly  of  a  contrary  opinion,  pro- 
•  fessed,  they  were  both  convinced  and  converted  ;  others, 
who  were  dubious  in  the  point  of  satisfaction,  that  they 
were  now  fully  confirmed ;  most  of  different  opinion  put 
to  a  stand  ;  and  the  majority  of  the  House  declared,^  both 
by  their  chearefuU  countenances  and  speeches  (the  Speaker 
going  into  the  withdrawing-roome  to  refresh  himselfe,  so 
soon  as  the  speech  was  ended)  that  they  were  abundantly 
satisfied  by  what  had  been  thus  spoken.     After  which  the 
Speaker  resuming  the  chair,  this  speech  was  seconded  by 
many  able  gentlemen;  and  the  debate  continuing  Satur- 
day, and  all  Monday  and  Monday  night,  till  about  nine 
of  the  clock  on  Tuesday  morning,  and  244  Members  stay- 
ing quite  out  to  the  end,  though  the  House  doores  were  not 
shut  up  (a  thing  never  seene  nor  knowne  before  in  parlia- 
ment) the  question  was  at  last  put :  and  notwithstanding 
the  generall's  and  whole  armie's  march  to  Westminster,  and 
menaces  against  the  members,  in  case  they  voted  for- the 
treaty,  and  did  not  utterly  reject  it  as  unsatisfactory,  car- 
ried  it  in  the  affirmative   by  140  voices  (with  the  foure 
tellers)  against  104,  that  the  question  should  be  put;  and 
^  then,  without  any  division  of  the  House,  it  was  resolved  on 
the  question.  That  the  answers,  of  the  king  to  the  proposi- 
tions of  both  Houses  are  a  ground  for  the  House  to  pro- 
ceed upon  for  the  settlement  of  the  peace  of  the  kingdom." 
In  the  course  of  the  speech,  he  alludes  to  his  services 
and  sufferings,  adding  that  "  he  had  never  yet  received 
one  farthing  recompense  from  the  king,  or  any  other, 
^though  I  have  waited,'  says  he,  *  above  eight  years  at 


^90  PRY  NN  E. 

yotir  dooTi  (or  jnitice  wd  reparations^  a)|d  negle0ting  m^v 
owne.  priYfftt^  caUing  Q,i^d  affaires^  imployec]  most-  of  my^ 
titne,  stuclyes,  and  expended  many  hundred  pounds  out  of 
my  purse^  sin^ce  my  inlargemeot,  to  maintain  ycfuir  cauM 
against  the  king^  bis  popish  and  prelatical  party^  .  For  alL 
which  cost  and  lahouTi  I  never  yet  demanded,  nor  reeeivejft. 
one  farthing  from  the  Houses,  nor  the  least  office  or  pre- 
ferment whatsoever,  thoogh  they  have  bestowed  diveni^ 
places  of  honour  upon  persons  of  lesse  or  no  desert.  Nor> 
did  I  ever  yet  receive  so  much  as  your  publike  thaaks  fof 
any  publike  service  done  you^  (which  every  preacher, 
usually  receives  for  every  sermon  preached  before  yoo^ 
and  most  others  hatve  received  for  the  meanest  servii:esX 
though  I  have  brought  you  oflF  with  honour  in  the  cases  of 
Canterbury  and  Macguire,  when  you  were  at  a  losse  iut 
both ;,  and  cleared  the  juatnesse  of  your  cause,  when  it 
was  at  thd  lowest  ebb,  to  most  reformed  churches  abroad 
(who  received  such  satisfaction  from  my  books,'  that  they 
translated  them  into  several  languages),  a»d  engaged  many* 
thousands  for  you  at.  home  by  my  writrngs,  who  were  Sotn 
merly  dubious  and  ufisatisBed.'*' 

From  this  tim^  he  became  a  bitter  enemy  to  the  army 
and  their  leader  Croon  welt,  and  attacked  them  with  aamuch 
severity  as  be  had  used  towards  the  roysd  party,  and  the 
church.  Thus  defying  Cromwell,  in  an  open  manner,  be 
was,  July  1,1650,  committed  close  prisonier  to  D.unste(  < 
castle  in  Somersetshire.  He  then  insisted  strongly  upon 
Magna  Charta,  and  the  liberty  of  the  subject;  which,' 
though  of  little  weight  with  Cromwell,  seems  at  last  to  have 
released  him,  and  taking  again  to  his  favourite  employ- . 
ment,  be  wrote  abundance  of  books  upon  religious  contr6?t 
versies  and  other  points. 

In.  1659,  being, considered  as  one  of  the  secluded  mem<^ 
hers  of  the  House  of  Commons,  he  was  .restored  to.  sit 
again,  and,  became  instrumental  in  recatliDg  Charles  IL  in 
wbic^  he  shewed  such  zeal,  tb&t  generid  Monk  was  obliged 
to- check  his  intemperate  and  irritating  language,  as  being 
then  unseasonable.  In  1660  he  wa&  chosi&h  ,for  Bath,:  to' 
sit  in  the  healing  parliament ;  and,  after  the  restoraltion,  ex* 
pected  to  have  been  made  One  of  the  barons  of  the  Exche^ 
quer,  but  this  was  not  thought  proper.  When  the  kiog:  was 
asked  what  should  be  done  with  Prynne  to  keep  himquie^ 
**  Why,"  said  he,  "  let  him  anmse.  himself  with  writing 
against  thr  Catholics,  and  in^poriiig  over  the  rec6rds  iir  H 


P  R  Y  N  N  E.  i^^ 

Tt>4rer.*'  Aocordirigly  he  was  made  chief  keepet  6f  hia 
majesty's 'records  in  the  Tower,  with  a  salary  af  SOOlipw 
annuiHh,  He  was  again  elected  for  Bath  in  1661 ;  md^ 
Jaly  tha^  year,  being  di8conten.ted  at  some  proceeding  in 
the  Holis0,  be  published  a  paper,  entitled  ^^  Sunday  Kea*? 
sons  tendered  to  the  most  honourable  House  of  Peei^  by 
acMtoe.  chtsens  and  members  of  London,  and  other  cities^ 
boroughs,  corporations,  and  ports,  against  the  new-in-* 
teaded  Bill  for  gbyernii^g  and  reforming  Corporation!;" 
6f  which  being  discovered  to  be  the  author,  he  was  obliged 
tD  beg  pardon  of  tb^  House,  in  order  to  escape  punish^ 
m6tt$«  After  the  restoration,  he  published  several  bookd^ 
altogether,  with  whaCt  he  had  already  published,  amountiug 
to  forty  volumes,  folio  and  quarto,  a  copy  of  all  whiob^ 
bomd  together,  he  presented  to  the  libtary  of  Lincolii^s- 
Ilin :  so  that  Marchmont  Needham  was  not  far  from  the 
mark,  when  he  called  him  ^<  one  of  the  greatest  paper-» 
worms,  that  ever  crept  into  a  closet  or  library.'.'  He  died 
al  his  chambers  in  LincoinVInn,  Oct.  24,  1669,  and  was 
interred  under  the  chapel  there.     - 

Prynne  has  been  thought  an  honest  man,  tor  opposing 
equally  Charles,  the  army,  and  Cromwell,  when  he  thought 
tltey  weite  belwayers  of  the  country  \  and  after  having  ac^ 
curately  obselrved,  and  sensibly  felt,  in  his  own  person^,' 
the  violation  of  law  occasioned  by  each  of  them,,  he  gave 
his  jDost  strenuous  support  to  the  legal  and  established 
government  oi  his  country,  .effect^  by  the  restoration  of 
Charles  II.  The  earl  of  Clarendon  calls  him  learned,  in 
thpe  law,  as  far  as^mere  reading  of  books  could  make  hio» 
learned*  His  ^orks  are  all  in  English;  and,  ^^  by  the 
gedelrality  tif  scholars,''  says  Wood,  '^  are  looked  upon  to 
be  i*dther  rhapsodical  and  confused,  than  any  way  polite 
oreoitckr:  yet  for  antiquaries,  critics,  and  sometimes  for 
dhvines,  they  are  useful.  In  most  of  them  be  shews  gree^ 
industry,  but  little  judgment,  especially  in  his  large  folio^ 
against  the  pope's  usurpations.  He  may  be  well  entitledl 
*  voktrainous  Prynne,'  as  Tostatus  Abulensis  was,  two  bun-, 
dred  years  before  his  time,  called  *  voluminous  Tostatus;' 
few  I  verily  believe,  that,  if  rightly  computed,  he  wrote  ar 
sheet  for  every  day  of  his  life,  reckoning  from  the  time 
when  he  came  to  the  use  of  reason  and  the  state  of  man." 
Many  of  his  works  have  lately  been  in  request,  and  have 
been  purchased  at  high  prices.  Whether  they  are  mor^ 
read  than  before,  is  not  so  certaii^;  but  much  curious  mat- 


352  ,    P  R  Y  N  N  K 

ter  might  be  extracted  by  a  patient  and  laborious  reader/ 
which  would  .throw  li^ht  on  the  controversies  and  cha- 
racters of  the  times.  He  was  himself  perhaps  one  of  the 
most  indefatigable  students.  He  read  or  wrote  during  the 
whole  day,  and  that  he  might  not  be  interrupted,  bad  no 
regular  meals,  but  took,  as  be  wanted  it,  the  humble  re- 
freshment of  bread,  cheese,  and  ale,  which  were  at  hii 
elbow. 

His  greatest  work  goes  under  the  title  of  "Records," 
in  3  vols,  folio;  another  is  called  "  Parliamentary  WritSy" 
in  four  parts,  4 to.  He  likewise  published  "  Sir  Robert 
Cotton's  Abridgment  of  the  Tower  Records,  with  amend- 
ments and  additions,"  folio;  and,  ^^Observations  on  the 
fourth  part  of  Coke's  Institutes,"  folio.  * 

PRZIPCOVIUS  (Samuel),  a  Polish  knight,  and  Soci- 
riian  writer,  was  born  about  1 592,  and  siudied  at  Altdorf, 
until  his  adherence  to  the  Socinian  tenets  obliged  him  to 
remove  to  I.eyden.  On  his  return  to  Poland,  he  was  ad- 
vanced to  several  posts  of  honour,  and  made  use  of  his  in- 
fluence to  encourage  the  Socinians  in  propagating  their 
opinions,  and  establishing  churches  in  the  Polish  territories. 
He  also  wrote  **  A  History  of  their  Churches,"  but  the 
wort  was  lost,  when,  in  1658,  his  disciples  were  banished 
from  their  country.  Przipcovius  procured  an  asylum 
with  the  elector  of  Brandenburg,  who  gave  him  the  ap- 
pointment of  privy-counsellor;  and  in  1663  a  synod  of 
Unitarians,  held  in  Silesia,  selected  him  as  their  corre- 
spondent with  their  brethren  in  other  nations,  with  a  view 
of  promoting  the  interests  of  the  community.  He  died  in 
1670,  at  the  age  of  78.  His  works  were' published  in  1692, 
folio,  and  may  be  considered  as  the  seventh  volume  of  the 
collection  entitled  **  Bibliotheca  Fratrum  Polonorum." ' 

PSALMANAZAR  (George),  the  assumed  name  of  a 
very  extraordinary  person,  was  undoubtedly  a  Frenchman 
born  :  he  bad  his  education  partly  in  a  free-school,  taught 
by  twQ  Frknciscan  monks,  and  afterwards  in  a  college  of 
Jesuits  in  an  archiepiscopal  city ;  the  name  of  which,  as' 
also  of  his  birth-place  and  of  his  parents,  remain  yet  in- 
violable secrets.    Upon  leaving  the  college,  he  was  recom-. 

^  Biog.  Brit.  Supplement.-r-Geo.  Diet,  where  is  a  fuller  account  of  his  Work*. 
Ath.  Ox.  vol.  11. — Mr.  D'Israeli,  in  his  •*  Calamities,"  has  a  curious  chapter  on 
Prynne's  character,  sufferings,  and  oddities.— Se^vard's  Anecdotes.— Letters  bj 
eminent  Persons,  IS  1 3,  3  vols.  8 ro.  .       ,     . 

^  Life  pre&xf  d  to  his  works.— Moreri. 


I>  S  A  L  M  A  N  A  Z  An.  SU 

vnepded  as  a  tutor  to  a  young  gentteman,  but  sQod  Mi 
into  a  mean  rambling  kind  of  life,  that  led  him  into  mdojr 
disappointments  and  i^isfortanes.  The  ftrsit  pretence  he 
took  up  with  was  that  of  being  a  sufferer  for  religion ;  and, 
be  prqcured  a  certificate  that  he  was  of  Irish  extraction^ 
bad  left  the  country  for  the  sake  of  the  Roman  CathoHc 
religion,  and  was  going  on  a.  pilgrimage  to  Rome.  Not 
bei|)g  in  a  condition  to  purchase  a  pilgrim's  garb,  he  had 
ob#erved|  in  a  chapel  dedicated  to.  a  miracnious  satnt,  that 
such  a  one  hud  been  set  up  as  a  monument  of  gratitude  to 
aome  wandering  pilgrim ;  and  be  contrived  to  take  both 
staff  and  cloak  away  at  noori-day.  ^.^  Being  thus  acooui* 
tred,*'  says  he»  ^^  and  furnished  with  a  pass,  I  began,  at 
all  proper  places,  to  beg  my  way  in  a  fluent  Latin  ;  accost^ 
ing  only  clergymeui  or  persons  of  figure,  by  whom  I 
could  be  undenstood :  and  found  them  nu)stly  so  generouft 
and  credulous,  that  I  might  easily  have  saved  money,  au4 
put  myself  into  a  muich  better  dress,  before  I  had  gone 
tbrougb  a  scoie  or  two  of  miles.  But  so  powerful  was 
my  vanity  and  extra vaganccy  thai  as  soon  as  I  had  got 
what  i  thought  a  sufficient  viaticum,  I  begged  no  more  ; 
but  viewed  every  tUng  worth  seeing, .  and  then  retired  to 
•ome  ian,  wbere  I  spent  ^y  money  as  freely  as  I  had  ob«> 
Gained  iu^' 

At  the  age  of  sixteten,  when  be  was  in  Germany,  be  hit 
upon  the  wild  project  of  passing  for  a  Formosan.  He  re» 
.collected,  that  be  bad  heard  the  Jesuits  speak  much  of 
Cbin:a  and  Japan ;  and  was  rash  enough  to  think,  that  what 
be  wanted  of  a  right  knowledge,  be  might  make  up  by  the 
strength  of  a  pregnant  invention,  which  here,  it  must  be 
coofessiedt  found  ample  scope  for  einployqient.  He  set 
bimself  to  form  a  new  character  and  language,  a  grammar, 
a  divisipn  of  the  year  into  twenty  months,  a  new  religiojv^ 
and  wbatever  else  was  necessary  to  support  the  deceit. 
Hia  alphabet  was  written  from  right  to  left  like  the  Orieo- 
tal  tongues;  and  he  soon  inured  bis  hand  to  write  it  with 
great  readiness.  He  now  thought  bimself  suflSciently  pre- 
pared to  pass  for  a  Japanese  converted  to  Christianity:; 
be  altered  bis  Avignon  certificate  as  artfully  as  he  could  ; 
re*assumed  his  old  pilgrim's  habit,  and  began  bis  tour, 
though  with  a  heavy  heart,  to  th^  Low  Countries.  Under 
the  notion  of  a  Japanese  converted  by  some  Jesuit  mis^ 
siooarieSf  and  brought  to  Avignon  to  be  instructed  by 
theoif ««  wel)  as  to  avoid  the  dreadful  punishments  inflicted 
on  converts  by  the  emperor  of  Japan,  be  travelled  several 

Vol.  XXV.  A  a 


354  P  S  A  L  M  A  N  A  Z  A  R. 

hundred  leagues,  with  an  appearance,  however,  so  dismd 
andsbabby,  as  to  exceed  even  the  common  beggars.  . 

At  Liege  he  enlisted  into  the  Dutch  service,  and  was 
carried  by  his  officer  to  Aix-la-Chapelle.  He  afterwards 
entered  into  the  elector  of  Gologne^s  service ;  but  being 
still  as  ambitious  as  ever  to  pass  for  a  Japanese,  he  now 
choice  to  profess  himself  an  unconverted  or  beatheBisb  ooa, 
rather*  than,  what  he  had  hitherto. pretended  to  be,  a  con- 
vert to  Christianity :  The  last  garrison  he  came  to  wai 
Sluys,  where  brigadier  Lauder,  a  Scotch  colonel,  -  in tro^ 
duced  him  to  the  chaplain,  with  whom  be  was  permitted 
to  have  a  conference;  and  this,  at  length,  ended  in  tbt 
chaplain's  fervent  zeal  to  make  a  convert  of  him,  by  way 
of  recommending  himself,  as  it  afterwards  turned  out,  to 
Compton,  bishop  of  London,  whose  piety  could  not  fail  of 
rewarding  so  worthy  an  action.  By  this  time  Psalmanazar, 
growing  tired  of  the  soldier's  life^  listened  to  the  chaplain's 
proposal  of  taking  him  over  to  England ;  and  he  was,  acncord* 
ingly,  with  great  haste,  baptized.  -  A  letter  of  invitation 
from  the  bishop  of  London  arriving,  they  set  out  for  Rot-- 
terdam.  Psalmanazar  was,  in  general,  much  caressed 
there;  but  some  there  were,  who  put  such  shrewd  ques- 
tions to  him,  as  carried  the  air  of  not  giving  all  that  credit 
which  he  could  have  wished.  This  threw  him  upon  a 
;whimsical  expedient,  by  way  of  removing  all  obstacles,  viz. 
that  of  living  upon  raw  flesh,  roots,  and  herbs :  and  he  soo6 
habituated  himself,  he  tells  us,  to  this  new  and  stranga 
food,  without  receiving  the  least  injury  to  his  health ;  takf 
ing  care  to  add  a  good  deal  of  pepper  and  spices,  by  way 
of  concoction. 

At  his  arrival  in  London  he  was  introduced  to  the  good 
bishop,  was  received  with  great  humanity,  and  soon  found 
a  large  circle  of  friends  among  the  welUdisposed,  both  of 
clergy  and  laity.  ^^  But/'  says  he,  *<  I  had  a  much  greater 
number  of  opposers  to  combat  with;  who,  though  they 
judged  rightly  of  me  in  the  main,  were  far  from  being 
candid  in  their  account  of  the  discovery  (hey  pretended  to 
make  to  my  disadvantage :  particularly  the  doctors  Halley, 
Mead,  and  Woodward.  The  too  visible  eagerness  of  these 
gentlemen  to  expose  me  at  any  race  for  a  cheat,  served 
only  to  make  others  think  the  better  of  me,  and  even  to 
look  upon  me  as  a  kind  of  confessor  ;  especially  as  those 
gentlemen  were  thoiight  to  be  no  great  admirers  rof  Reve- 
lation, to  which  my  patrons  thought  I  bad  given  so  ample 
a  testimony."  Before  be  had  been  three  months  in  LoDdoif« 


P  S  A  L  M  A  N  A  Z  A  R.  SiS 

be  was  cried  up  for  a  prodigy.  He  was  presently  sent  to 
translate  the  churcb-catecbism  into  the  Foroiosan  lan- 
guage; it  was  received  by  the  bishop  of  London  with 
0BLi\dQiiT,  the  author  rewarded  with  generosity,  and  his 
catechism  laid  up  amongst  the  most  curious  manuscripts. 
It  was  examined  by  the- learned  ;  they  found  it  regular  and 
grammatical;  and  gave  it  as  their  opinion,  that  it  was  a  real, 
language,  and  no  counterfeit  After  such  success,  he  was 
«oon  prevailed  upon  to  write  the  well-known  ^^  History  of 
Formosa,"  which  soon  after  appeared.  The  first  ediiiou 
bad  not  been  long  published,  before  a  second  wus  called 
for.  In  the  mean  time,  he  was  sent  by  the  good  bishop  to^ 
Oscford,  to  pursue  such  studies  as  suited  his  own  inclinattion 
most ;  whilst  his  opposers  and  advocates  in  London  were 
disputing  about  the  merits  and  demerits  of  his  book. 

The  learned  at  Oxford  were  not  less  divided  in  their 
opinions.  A  convenient  apartment  was,  however,  assigned 
him  in  one  of  the  colleges ;  he  had  all  the  advantages  of 
teaming  which  the  university  could  afford  him,  and  a 
learned  tutor  to  assist  him.  Upon  his  return  to  London, 
he  continued,  for  about  ten  years,  to  indulge  acourse  of 
idleness  and  extravagance.  Some  absurdities,  however, 
observed  in  his  "  History  of  Formosa,"  in  the  end  effec- 
tually discredited  the  whole  relation,  and  saved  him  the 
trouble,  and  his  friends  the  mortification,  of  an  open  con- 
fession of  his  guilt.  He  seemed,  through  a  long  course. 
of  itfe,  to  abhor  the  imposture,  and  in  his  latter  days  ex- 
hibited every  demonstration  of  penitence.  He  was  a  maa 
of  considerable  talents  in  conversation,  and  Dr.  Johnson, 
who  associated  much  with  him  at  one  time,  had  even  a 
profound  respect  for  him.  His  learning  and  ingenuity, 
during  the  remainder  of  his  life,  did  not  fail  to  procure 
him  a  comfortable  subsistence  from  his  pen  :  he  was  conf- 
cerned  in  compiling  and  writing  works  of  credit,  particu^i- 
larly  the  **  Universal  History,"  and  lived  exemplarily  for 
«nany  years.  His  death  happened  Tuesday,  May  3,  1763, 
at  his  lodgings  in  Ironmonger- row.  Old-street,  in  theeighty- 
fdurth  year  of  his  age. 

*In  bis'  last  will  and  testament,  dated  Jan.  1,  1762,  he 
declares,  that  he  bad  long  since  disclaimed,  even  publicly, 
jbII  but  tbe  shame  and  guilt  of  his  vile  imposition,  and 
orders  his  body  to  be  buried  wherever  he'  happens  to  die, 
in  the  day-time,  and  in  the  lowest  and  cheapest  manner. 
*^  It  is  my  earnest  request,*'  says  he,  "  that  my  body  be 
not  ju^closed  in  any  kind  of  coffin,  but  only  decently  laid 

A  A  2 


\ 


'  »56  P  S  A  L  M  A  N  A  Z  A  R. 

to  v^hat  is  commonly  called  a  slielly  of  the  lofv>eat  vtAaei 
and  without  lid  or  other  coveriqg,  which  may  fain^t^  the; 
natural  earth  from  covering  it  all  around,"  ^ 
.  PSELLUS  (Michael  Constantinus),  the  younget^  a 
Greek  physician,  matbea;iatfcal  writer,  critic,  and  com*- 
mentator  of  the  writings  of  the  classic  ages,  floariahett 
sibout  1 105.  He  is,  for  his  va(rioas  and  eiCtensive  learntog, 
ranked  among  the  first  scholiasts  of  his  timie.  He  com- 
mented and  explained  no  less  than  twenty-four  plays  of 
Menander,  which,  though  now  lost,  were  efxtant  in  his 
lime.  The  emperor  Constantine  Docas  made  him  ptare* 
eiB^ptor  to  his  son  Michael^  who  succeeded  to  the  crown  in 
1071.  His  principal  works  are,  i,  **  De  Quatuor  MaChe^ 
maticis  Scientiis,"  Bas.  15£6,  Sro.  2.  **  De  .Lapidwai 
Virtutibus,"  Tol.  1615,  8vo.  3.  «  De  ViotCte  tatione,'* 
in  2  books,  Bale,  1529,  8vo.  4.  <<  Synopsis  Legutn,  ver- 
sibus  GroBcis  edita,''  Paris,  1632.  Leo  Allatius  has  wrtt^ 
ten  a  treatise  de  Psellis,  Rome,  1634,  8vo,  which  contains 
an  account  of  all  the  authors  of  the  name  of  PsdUus.  One 
of  them,  Michael  Psellus  the  Elder,  who  flourished  in  ibe 
ninth  century,  was  aothorof  "De  Opdratione DceinonunH^' 
Gr.  &  Lat<  Pari&,  1623,  which  has  been  improperly  given 
to  the  preceding  author.* 

PTOLEMY  (Claudius)/  a  great  geographer,  matbe^ 
matician,  and  astronomer  of  antiquity,  was  bOrn  at  Peln-* 
sium,  in  Egypt,  about  the  year  70,  and  flourished  in  the 
reigns  of  Adrian  and  Marcus  Antoninus.  He  tells  4is  him-^ 
self,  in  one  place,  that  hb  made  a  great  >namber  bf  ob- 
servations upon  the  fixed  stars  at  Alekaadria,  in  the  se- 
eond  year  of  Antoninus  Pius;  and  in  another,  that  he 
obsertred  an  eclipse  of  the  moon  in  the  ninth  year  of  Adrian^ 
whence  it  is  reasonable  to  conclude  that -this  astrdnomier'a 
observations  Dpon  the  heavens  were  made  between  A*  D^ 
125,  and  A.  D.  140.  Hence  appears  the  error  df  aome 
authors  in  supposing  that  this  Claadiua  Ptolemy  was  -the 
same  with  the  astrologer  Ptolemy,  who  constantly  attended 
Galba,  promised  Otbo  that  he  should  survive  Nero,  and 
iiftervyards  that  he  should  obtain  the  empire;  which  is  aa 
improbable  as  what  Isidorus,  an  ecdesiaatical  writer  of 
the  seventh  century,  and  some  moderns  after  htm,  have  as^ 
aerted;  namely,  that  this  astronomer  was  one  of  the  kings 

1  Memoirs  by  himself,  Swo. 

3  Boa/  4e  Qfmea  lUuit,— Bnicte<— Vmiut  dc  Scirat  MftO^-^Savi  Onta^- 


F  T  O  t.  It  B^  Y;  i&% 

4C  SgypA*  We.  knaw  no  ^ir cunui^nGes  of  tb^  life  q£  Pto^ 
I^fpy  ;  bmb  k  i^  HQted  in  bi&  Capon,  tjiat  ADtpoinus  Piua 
«eigi|/B4  thr^«>aB4-»  twenty  y^ar^*,  which  shews  tbiit  himseU 

SGi«pn(^eUgi;ea4j.y,  Indebted  tQ  Uii»  astronomer,  who  ba^ 
famf^W^i  ad^idf  ii^aiOea^t^  to  u^  tbQ  observations  and  prin- 
oijpai  dif^Qfr^riiS^iOf  tk^  anciei^l^,  s^id  atthesame  time  augn 
qmiled  and  enriched  tj^m  with  Us  own.  He  corrected 
ftigpaffcbi^'si  catalogv^  of  tbe  fissed  at^r^j^  and  formed, 
tfl^l^  hy  whi«b  the  mcOiti^ps  of  the  s^J}|.  moon,  aiid  planets^, 
viil^l  h«  i^aloul^ted  a^id  regulated.  He  was  indeed  tb^ 
4rs(i  who  epUseiQted.tbe  spattered  and  detached  observations  o£ 
the  an^iewils,  ^nd  digesjted  them  iato  a  system ;.  ^ich  he  set 
for^  in  hia  ^^  14^4^11  (rwraiiSy  sive  Magna  Consti:uctiOy'%  di* 
^ided  into  tjbi^rteeQ  books,  and  which  has  be^o  called  firomi 
hii^i^  the  Ptolemaic  system,  tp  distinguish  it  from  those  o£ 
Cop^nicm^^  and  Tycbo  Brahe.  About  the  year  &27,  this 
^oirk  was  translated  by  the  Arabians  into  their  Jangoage^ 
iQ  viAiiiah  it.  was  called  "  Almagestum/'  by  (he  command, 
Q^  Q9^  pf  tbeic  kinga;  and  from  Arabic  into  Latin,  abo^t 
].f^0,  UAdeir  the  encouragemeoit  pf  fbe  emperor  Frede-* 
rjc  tl.  Tbeiie  were  othei^  Ter§ions  froo^  the ,  Arabic  into 
Latin ;  and  a  manuscript  of  one,  done  by  Girardu^  Cre« 
uioppnsfi^f  v^hp  flpMrisbed  about  the  middle  of  the  four- 
te#pth  cf^^tuiy,  is  sa^d  by.  Fabciciu^  to  bp  atiU  extant,  and^ 
iA,the  librajcy  of  All  Spt^js  4|ollegie  at  O^ord.  The  Greek, 
tei^t  begatxto  he  read  kt  ^i^rppe  in  the  fifteentb  .century  ; 
and  w^  &ir^t  published  by  Simoi^  Qryoesus,  at  Basil,  ISSB^ 
in  fplio,  wijtb  the  elev^  books^  of  coinmeutaries  by  Theon, 
who  flpurisbed  at  Ale^fandria  in  the  reign  of  the  elder  Theo- 
dpsiua*.  In  )4S4,  it  ^as  reprinted  at  Basil,  with  a  Latin, 
^jier^w  by  Gppi^gina  Trapezuntius ;  and  again  at  the  same 
plaQein  i55l,  with  the  addition  of  other  works  of  Pto- 
biay,  to  which  are  Latin,  versions  by  Camei^ariu^-  We 
lep^a  frpof  Kepler,  that  this  last  edition  was  used  by 
Tycbo.  * 

.  This  priQcipj^l  work  of  the  an^cient  astronomers  is  found- 
ed pppn  the  hypothesis  of  the  earth's  being  at  rest  in  t&e 
i^fiafre  pf  the  unkers^)  and  that  the  heavenly  bpdii^s,  t]|tQ 
s^a  SH^  f^l^nels,  all  wove  around  it  in  solid  orbs,  whose 
^^ipua^re  aU  directed  "^y  Qme,  which  Ptolemy  called  the 
pfiift^m  imbikf  or  fir^t  mover,  of  which  he  discoursea  ^ 
large.  Jn  the  ftrst  bopk,  Ptolemy  shews,  that  the  earth  v^ 
s|i4l^  ^fiUre<^  ^hP^orH  ^9/ the  upiverte  iM^fi  ^ 


358  P  TO  L  E  M  Y. 

he  understood  it :  he  represents  the  earth  as  of  a  spherical 
figure,  and  but  as  a  ppint  in  comparison  of  the  rest  of  the 
heavenly  bodies :  he  treats  concerning  the  several  circles 
of  the  earth,  and  their  distances  fro'm  the  equator ;  as  also 
of  the  right  and  oblique  asciension  of  the  heavenly  bodies 
iii  a  right  sphere.  In  the  2d  book,  he  treats  of  the  habit- 
able part^  of  the  earth  ;  of-  the  elevation  of  the  pole  in  an 
oblique  sphere,  and  the  various  angles  which  the  several 
circles  make  with  the  horizon,  according  to  tlie  different 
latitude  of  places ; '  also  of  the  phsBnomena  of  the  heavenly 
bodies  depending  on  the  same,  '  In  the  3d  book,  he  treats 
of  the  quantity  of  the  year,  and  of  the  unequal  motion  of 
the  sun  through  the  zodiac:  he  here  gives  the  method  of 
computing  the  mean  mbtion  of  the  sun,  with  tables  of  the 
same ;  and  likewise  treats  of  the  inequality  of  days  and 
nights.  In  the  4th  book,  he  treats  of  the  lunar  motions, 
^nd  their  various  phaenomena :  he  gives  tables  for  finding 
the  moon's  mean  motions,  with  her  latitude  and  longitude ; 
he  discourses  largely  concerning  lunar  epicycles ;  and  by 
comparing  the  times  of  a  great  number  of  eclipses,  men*, 
tioned  by  Hipparchus,  Calippus,  and  othcfrs,  he  has  com- 
puted tjhe  places  of  the  sun  and  moon,  according  to  their 
mean  motions,  from  the  first  year  of  Nabonazar,  king  of 
.Egypt,  to  his  own  time. '  In  the  5th  book^  he  treats  of  the 
instrument  called  the  astrolabe :  he  treats  also  of  the  ec- 
centricity of  the  lunar  orbit,  and  the  inequality  of  the 
ihobn's  motion,  according  to  her  distance  from  the  sun : 
he  also  gives  tables,  and  an  universal  canon  for  the  inequa- 
lity of  the  lunar  motions :  he  then  treats  of  the  different 
aspects  or  phases  of  the  moon,  and  gives  a  computation  of 
the  diameter  of  the  sun  and  moon,  with  the  magnitude  of 
the  sun,  moon,  and  earth,  compared  together.;  he  states 
also  the  different  measures  of  the  distance  of  the  sun  and 
fnoon,  according  as  they  are  determined  by  ancient  ma- 
thematicians and  philosophers.^  In  the  6th  book,  he  treats 
of  the  conjunctions  and  oppositions  of  tbe  sun  and  inoon, 
with  tables  for  computing  the  nSean  time  when  they  hap- 
pen ;  of  the  boundaries  of  solar  and  lunar  eclipses ;  of  the 
tables  and  methods  of  computing  the  eclipses  of  the  sun 
and  moon,  with  many  other  particulars.  « In  the  seventh 
book,  he  treats  of  the'fixed  stars;  and  shews  the  methods 
of  describing  them,  in  th@ir  various  constellations,  on  the 
surface  of  an  artificial  sphere  or  globe :  he  rectifies  the 
places  of  the  stars  to  his  own  time^  and  shews  how  differettt 


P  T  O  L  E  M  Y.  p9 

those  places  w^re  then,  from  whttfc  they  bad  been  in  tbe 
times  of  Tiqiiocbaris,  Hipparchus,  Aristillus,  Calippus,  and 
others  :  be  then  lnys  down  a  catalogue  of  the  stars  in  each 
of  the  northern  constellations,  with  their  latitude,  longi- 
tucje,  and  magnitudes.     In  the  8th  book,  he  gives  a  like 
catalogue  of  the  stars  in  tbe  constellations  of  the  southern 
be.mispbere,  and  in  the  12  signs  or  constellations  of  tbe 
eodiac.     This  is  tbe  first, catalogue  of  the  stars  now  extant^ 
and  forms  tbe  most  valuable  part  of  Ptolemy's  works.     He 
then  trefits  of  the .  galaxy,  or  inilky-way ;  also  of  tbe  pla- 
netary aspects,    with  tbe  rising  and  setting  of  tbe  sun, 
tnoon,  and  stars.     In  the   9th  book,  be  treats  of  the  order 
of  tbe.  sun,  moon,  and  planets,  with  tbe  periodical  revolu* 
tions  of  tbe  five  planets ;  then  he .  gives  tables  of  the  mean 
motions,  beginning  with  the  theory  of  Mercury,  and  shew- 
ing its  various  phenomena  with  respect  to  tbe  earth.     The 
10t;h  book  begitis  with  the  theory  of  the  planet  Venus^ 
treating  of  its  greatest  distance  from,  the  sun  ;  of  its  epi- 
cyclej  eccentricity,  and  periodical  motions :  it  then  threats 
of  tbe  same  particulars  in  the  planet  Mars.     The  1  ith  book 
treats  of  tbe  same  circumstances  in  the  theory  of  the  pla* 
,aet$  Jupiter  and  Saturn.     It.  also  corrects  all  tbe  planetary 
potions  from  observations  made  fro.m  jthe  tinae  of  Nabo- 
ji^zar  to  bis  own.    The  1.2th  book  treats  of  the  retrogres- 
sive motion,  of  the  several  planets;  giving  also  tables  of 
^their^  stations,  and  of  tbe  greatest  .distances  of  Venus  and 
Mercury  from-  tbe  sun.     Tbe  I3tb  book  treats  of  tbe  se- 
veral hypotheses  of  the  latitude  of  tbe  five  planets ;  of  the 
.greatest  latitude,  or  inclination  of  the  orbits  of.  the  five 
.planets,  which  are  computed  and  disposed  in  tables;  of 
:the  rising  and  setting  of  the  planets^  with  tables  of  them. 
Then  follows  a  conclusion  or  winding  up  of  tbe  whole  work. 
This  gr^at  work  of-  Ptolemy  will  always  be  valuable  6n 
account  of  tbe  observations  be  gives  of  tbe  places  of  tbe 
.stars  and  planets  in  former  times,  and  acording  to  ancient 
philqsopbers  and  astronomers  that  were  then  extant;  but 
.principally  on  account  of  the  large  and  .curious  catalogue 
,of  the  stars,  which  being  compared  with  their  places  at 
iprissent,  we  thence  deduce  .the  true  quantity  of  their  slow 
.progressive  motion  according  to  the  order  of  tbe  signs^  or 
of  the  precession  of  the  equinoxes. 

,  .  Another  great  and  important  work  of  Ptolemy  was,  bis 

<<  Geography,'^  in  7  books  ;  in  which,  with  bis  usual  saga- 

v^ity^  be  searches;  out  and  marks  .the  situatiop  of  placen 


I^«  FT  OLEMTi 

according  to  th«ir  faitUunles  and  longitudes ;  ftnd  be  Was  tlMI 
fint  that  did  sa    Though  this  work  must  needs  faH  Mf 
short  of  perfection,  through  the  want  of  necessai^y-  ebter*^ 
vatiofis^  yet  it  is  of  considerable  merit,  and  has  been  very 
Qsefurl  to  modern  geographers*     Cellarius  indeed  suspectSi 
and  he  was  a  very  competent  judge,  that  Ptotenry  did  not 
use  all  the  care  and  application  which  the  nature  of  fari* 
work  required ;  and  his  reason  is,  that  the  author  delivery 
hifnsel^  with  the  same  ^uency  and  appearance  of  certainty,^ 
concerning  things  and  places  at  che  remotesjt  distaYieei 
which  it  was  impossible  he  could  know  any  thing  of,  dun^ 
be  does  concerning  those  which  lay  the  nearest  to  him,  and 
fall  the  most  under  bis  cognizance.     Salmasius  had  beford 
made  soqae  remarks  to  the  sam^e  purpose  upon  this  work  of 
Ptolemy.     The  Greek  (e:st  of  this  work  was  first  pablMied 
by  itself  at  Basil  in  1533,  in  4to;  afterward,  with  a  Latin 
version  and  notes,  by  Qeravd  Mercator  at  Amsterdam,  in 
%  605  ;  which  last  edition  was  reprinted  at  the  same  place, 
tn  )618,  folio,  with  neat  geographical  tables  by  Bertius.' 
'    Other  works  of  Ptolemy,  though  less  considerable  thaur 
these  twoy  are  still  ecstant.    As,  *^  Libri  quatuor  de  Judi^ 
Kiiis  Astroruin,"' upon  the  first  two  books  of  which  Cardan 
^wrote  a  commentaiy.     **  Fructus  Libroruiu  suorum  ;^'  % 
kind  of  sapplement  to  the  former  work.    ^'  Recensio  Cbn^ 
'^ologioa  Regum :"  this>  with  another  work  ef  Ptol^aly^ 
^^De  Hypotbesibos  Planetarum,"  was  pnblisbed  in  1^600, 
4to,  by  John  Bainbridge,  tb^  Saviltan  prefessdr  Of  astro^f 
tidmy  at  Oxford  ;  and  Scaliger,  Petavius,  Dodwell,  -^and 
the  other  chronological  writers,  have  made  great  use  of  it. 
*^  Apparentifie  Stellarum'  Inerrantium  "^  Ifhis  was  ptiblished 
•ft  Paris  by  Petavius,  with  a  Latin  vei^idn,  16$0,  folio  ;  belt 
'A'om  a  mutilated  copy,  the  defects  of  which  bietve  since  be^ 
'supplied  from  a  perfect  one,  which  sir  Henrj*  SaarHlebad 
•communicated  to  archbishop  Usher,  by  Fabricius,  in  dl^ 
8d  volume  of  his  *^  BiUiotheca  Gneca.^'     <<  Elemeritomtti 
Hannonieorum  libri  tf  es ;'-  published  in  Greek  and  Latiiiy 
with  a  commentary  by  Porphyry  the  philosppber,  by  Dr. 
Wallis  at  Oxford,  ili  1692,  4te;  and  afterwards  reprtnted 
'tfaeri^,  and  inser^d  in  the  3d  Volume  of  Wallis'i$  works,  in 
'f6(^9,  folioi     Of  this  work  Dr.  Burnfey  has  such  an  opi- 
nion  as  to  say,  that  Pmletny- ranks  as  high  amongst  me 
great  writers  of  antiquity  for  his  Harmonics,  pr  ^beery  of 
lound,  as  for  his  Almageit'ahd 'Geography. 

MabiHon  eshHbKts^  in  his  ^<  German  Traveki"^  #n  ^tf 


PTOLEMY..  $61 

tti  Ptalemy  looking  at  the  stars  through  an  optical  tube  { 
which  effigy,  he  says^  be  found  in  a  manuscript  of  the 
tbhteentfa  century,  made  by  Conradas  a  monk.  Hence 
some  hare  fancied,  that  the  use  of  the  telescope  wa$ 
known  to  Conradus.  But  this  is  only  matter  of  mere  Q0n^ 
jsoture,  there  being  no  fkets  or  testimonies,  nor  even  pre^ 
haUlitiea,  to  support  such  an  opinion.  It  is  rather  likely 
dwt  the  tube  was  nothing  more  than  a  plain  open  one; 
iemployed  to  strengthen  and  defend  the  eye-sight,  wheA 
looking.at  particular  stars,  by  excluding  adventitious  rays 
lipom  other  stars  and  objects ;  a  contrivanoe  which  no  ob- 
server of  the  heavenly  can  ever  be  supposed  to  have  been 
witbeut.^ 

PTOLEMY,  of  Lucca,  an  ecclesisistical  historian  in  th^ 
fourteenth'  century,  was  descended  from  a  nc^le  family, 
lifom  whom  he  <lerited  the  name  of  **  Bariholomew  Fia^ 
^ni,'^  but  took  that  of  Ptoleeiy  when  he  entered  into 
4the  order  of  6t.  Domtnic.  He  became  suplerior  of  the 
monastery  both  at  Lucca  and  Florence.  He  was  aftei^ 
irards  selected  by  pope  John  XXII.  as  bis  confossor,  tod  in 
4318  he  was  made  bisiiop  of  Torcetio,  under  the  pacriifcbate 
lof  Venice.  This  prelate  died  in  1327.  He  was  the  first 
of  the  Italians  who  studied  and  wrote  on  cfhnrch  history* 
-tits  ^*  AnnaW  extend  from  1060  to  1S03,  and  was  pub^ 
lished  at  Lyons  in  1619.  His  largest  work  was  <<  Historic 
Ecclesiasticse,''  in  twehty-feiur  brooks,  cominencing  with 
-the  birth  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  brought  down  to  1313. 
This,  after  remaining  long  in  MS.  was  at  length  published 
3t  Milan  in  1729^  by  Mui^teri^  in  his  grand  coliectioiy, 
eotiiled  ^^  Remm  ItaHearum  Scrvptores.^  * 

PUBLIUS  SlfEUS,  an  ancient  Latin  anthor,  wfab 
^gained  great  feme  by  his  oomic  pieces  caHed  <*  Mimes,** 
as  supposed  from  his  name  to  have  been  a  Syrian  by  birth. 
Having  been  made  a  slave  and  brought  to  Rome  wfaeti 
young,  he  there  obtained  bis  libetliy  by  his  merit;  and 
l^roved  so  eseeilent  a  composer  of  Mimes,  thiit  the  Ro^ 
'mans  preferred  him  to  the  best  of  their  own  or  the  Greek 
dramatic  writers.  J-ulios  Csssar  first  estai>lisbed  his  repo« 
'tation,  and  gare  him  the  prize  of  poetry  against  i^^i^berius, 
•who  was  an  eminent  writer  in  that  style,  and  co^^i^ded 
with  Syrus  for  it.     He  continued  to  fiourish  many  years 

«  Fabric.  Bibl  Grsc^Hutton^s  Matli,  DieW— Inrne^'s  Bist^T  M^ftc^rSMli 
Onemast. 
f.  Cave,  ToJ.  II.— 'DupiD.— Moreri. 


S62     ,         P  U  B.  L  I  U  S      S  Y  R  U  S. 

under  Augustus.  Cassius  Se%'erus  was  a  professed  addfiirer 
of  hioi,  and  the  two  Senecas  speak  of  faim  with  the  highest 
encoi^iuips.  Many  moderns,  and  particularly  the  Scali* 
gers,  have  launched  out  very  much' in  his  praise.  They 
say,  he  stripped  Greece  of  all  her  wit,  fine  turns,  and 
agreeable  raillery ;  and  that  his  ^*  SeotentisB^'  include  the 
substance  of  the  doctrine  of  the  wisest  philosophers.  These 
'^  Sentences''  were  extracted  from  his  mimic  pieces  some 
time  under  the  Antonines,  as  the  best  editors  say.  They 
are  generally  printed  with  the  *^  Fables  of  Phsedrus,"  and 
are  subjoined  to  them  by  Dr.  Bentley,  at  the  end  of  his 
edition  of ."  Terence,"  in  1726,  4to.  There  is  also  a  se* 
parate  edition  of  them  by  Gruter,  with  copious  notes, 
Leyden,   1708,  8vo.' 

PUFFENDORF  (Samuel),  an  eminent  German  civilian 
and  historian,  was  born  in  1631  at  Fls&h,  a  little  village 
hear  Chemnitz,  in  Upper  Saxony,  of  which  village 
his  father,  the  descendant  of  a  Lutheran  family,  Elias 
.Puffendorf,  was  minister.  He  discovered  an  early  propen- 
sity to  letters,  wlien  at  the  provincial  school  at  Grimm, 
and  at  a  proper  age  was  sent  to  Leipsic,  where  he  was 
supported  by  the  generosity  of  a  Saxon  nobleman,  who 
was  pleased  with  his  promising  talents,  his  father's  circum- 
stances not  being  equal  to  the  expence.  '  His  father  de« 
signed  him  for  the  ministry,  andsdirected  hin^  to  apply 
himself  to  divinity  ;  but  his  inclination  led  his  thoughts  to 
the  public  law,  which,  in  Germaiiy,  consists  of  the  know- 
ledge of  the  rights  of  the  empire  over  the  states  and  princes 
of  which  it  is  composed,  aad  of  those  of  the  princes  and 
states  with  respect  to  each  other.  .  He  considered  this  study 
as  a  proper  method  of  advancing  ip  some  of  the. courts  of 
Germany,  where  the  several  princes  wha  compose  the 
Germanic  body,. were  accustomed  to  have  no  other  ministers 
of  state  than  men  of  learning,  whom  they  styled  counsellors, 
.and  whose  pjrincipal  study  was  the  public  law  of  Germany. 
As  these  posts  were  not  venal,  and  no  other  recommenda- 
tion necessary  to  obtain  them  but  real  and  distinguished 
luerit,  PufFendorf  resolved  to  qualify  himself  for  the 
^honours  to  which  he  aspired.  After  he  had  resided  some 
time  at  Leipsic,  He  left  that  city,  and  went  to  Jena,  where 
bfe  joined  mathematics  and  the  Cartesian  philosophy  to  the 
study  of  the  law.  He  returned  to  Leipsic  in  1658,  with  a 
*view  of  seeking  an  employment  fit  for  him.     One  of  h\s 

1  Vosiios  de  Poet.  Lat^-Fabric.  Bibl.  Lat. 


P  U  F  F  E  N  D  O  R  F.  363 

brothers,  named  Isaiah,  who '  had  been  some  time  in  the 
service  of  the  king  of  Sweden,  and  was  afterwards  his 
chancellor  in  the  duchies  of  Bremen  and  Werden,  then 
wrote  to  him,  and  advised  him  not  to  fix  in  his  own  country, 
but  after  his  example  to  seek  his  fortune  elsewhere.  In 
compliance  with  this  advice,  he  accepted  the  place  of  go* 
vernor  to  the  son  of  Mr.  Cqyet,  a  Swedish  nobleman,  who 
was  then  ambassador  from  the  king  of  Sweden  at  the  court 
of  Denmark.  For  this  purpose  he  went  to  Copenhagen,  but 
the  war  being  renewed  some  time  after  between  Denmark 
and  Sweden,  he  was  seized  with  the  whole  family  of  the 
ambassador,  who  himself  escaped  in  consequence  of  iiaving 
a  few  days  before  taken  a  tour  into  Sweden. 

During  his  confinement,  which  lasted  eight  months^  a» 
he  had  no  books,  and  was  allowed  to  see  no  person,  he 
amused  himself  by  meditating  upon  what  he  had  read  in 
Grotius^s  treatise  *^  De  jure  belli  &  pacis,'*  and  in  the  po« 
litical  writings  of  Hobbes.  He  drew  up  a  short  system  of 
what  he  thought  best  in  them ;  he  turned  and  developed 
the  subject  in  his  own  way  ;  he  treated  of  points  which 
had  not  been  touched  by  those  authors ;  and  he  added  much 
ibAt  was  new.  In  all.  this  be  appears  to  have  had  no  other 
objfe'ct  than  to  divert  himself  in  his  solitude ;  but  two  years 
after,  shewing  his  work  to  a  friend  in  Holland,  where  he 
then  was,  he  was  advised  to  review  and  publish  it.  It  ap- 
peared accordingly  at  the  Hague  in  1660,  under. the  title 
of  "  Elementorum  Juri^prudentise  Universalis  libri  duo;** 
and  gave  rise  to  his  more  celebrated  work  ^'  De  ju^e  na- 
turae &  gentiunl.''  The  elector  Palatine,  Charles  Louis, 
to  whom  he  had  dedicated  the  ><  Elements,*'  not  only  wrote 
bim  immediately  a  lettier  of  thanks,*  but  invited  him  to  the 
university  of  Heidelberg,  which  he  was  desirous  of'  restor- 
ing to  its  former  lustre ;  and  founded  there,  in  his  favour, 
a  professorship  of  the  law  of  nature  and  nations:  which 
was  the  first  of  that  kind  in  Germany,  though  many  have 
since  been  established  in  imitation  of  it.  The  elector  en- 
gaged him  also  to  allot  soine  portion  of  his  time  to  the  in- 
struction of  the  electoral  prince,  his  son.  .  PufFendorf  re- 
mained at  Heidelberg  till  1670,  when  Charles  XI.  king  of 
Sweden,  having  founded  an  university ,  at  Lunden,  sent 
for  him  to  be  professor  there :  and  thither,  to  the  great 
concern  of  the  elector  Palatine,  he.  went  the  same  year, 
and  was  installed  professor  of  the  law  of  nature  and  nations. 
His  reputation  greatly  increased  after  that  time,  both  by 


364  P  U  F  F  ENDO  R  F. 

the  &me  and  success  of  bis  teetui^^  Itrtd  by  th»  nlMjr 
iraluable  works,  that  he  pubUsbed.  Soom  years  ikCter^  ibe 
kiog  of  Sinp^den  sent  for  him  to>  Stockholm »  and  laade  hiiii^ 
bis  historiofffapher,  and  one- of  bis  couosellora.  In  |6S8» 
the  elector  ef  Brandenberg  obiained  the  coQsenit  oi  t^ 
king  of  Sweden  for  Puffendorf  to  ga  lo  Berlin^  in  ofd/^r  %o 
Mftittr  the  history  of  the  elector  AViUiam  the  Great ;  aiid 
granted  biok  the  same  titles  of  historiographer  and  privy^ 
<^4flseUor,  which  he  bad  in  Sweden,  with  a  considerable- 
pension.  The  king  of  Sweden  also  continued  %o  giire  him 
marks  of  bis  favour,  and  made  him  a  baron  in  l€t94i«  ^BijA 
he  did  not  long  enjoy  the  title ;  for  he  died  the  saime  ye^r^ 
of  a  morjtification  in  one  of  his  toes,  occasieoed  by  cutting, 
tbe  »aiL  He  was  as  much  distipguisbed  by  the  purily  of 
bia  morals,  and  the  rectitiide  of  his  eonduei,  as  by  tbet 
superiority  of  his  talenitSy  and  the  celebrily  of  bis  numerow 
writings. 

We  have  ah^eady  mentioned  his  ficst  woik ;  bia  secood 
was,  2*  ^*  De  Statu  Gerasanici  Imperii  liber  unusy''  which 
he  pwblished  io  1667,  under  tbe  (tame  of  "  Se^rini  di. 
Mosambano,"  with  |l  dedication  to  bis  brother  Isaac  Puf- 
fendorf, whom  he  styles  <^'L»Uq  Sagnor  de  Treaolaei/' 
Puifendotf  sent  it  the  year  before  to  his  brother,  then  am-p 
kasaador  from  the  court  of  Sweden  to  xbu>  of  FfMcei-  in: 
oader  to  .have  it  prinked  in  that  kingdom.  His  brother, 
offered  it  bo  a  bookseller,  who  gave  it  Meseray  to  peruseti' 
Mezeray  thought- it  worth  printing,  yet  refused  bia  appro^ 
batioD,  on  accOuot  pf  som«  passages  opposite  to  tbe  ini^r^ 
e»ts  of  Fnmce,  and  of  others  in  which  tbe  pxiests  Md. 
monks  were  severely  treated.  •  Isaac  Pufibndorf  then  sent; 
it  to  Geneva,  where  it  was  printed  in  12nv).  Tbe  d^siga 
of  tbe  author  was  to.  prove  that  Germany  waa  a  kind  of  re-» 
public,  tbe  constituent  members  of  which  being  ill-proper- 
ttoned,  formed  a.  monstroua  whole.  The  book  and  its  doc-» 
trine,  therefore,  met  with'  greet  opposition ;  it  was  con-^ 
derailed,  prohibited,  and  seized  in  many  parts  of  Germany; 
and  written  against  immediately  .by  seveml  learned  civili*^ 
ai^  It  underwent  many  ediitioes,  and  was  translated  inia 
IMny  languages;  and,  among  the  rest,  into  English  by 
Ikir.  Bphun,  1696,  in  12me.  >  tfi.  *^  De  Jure  Nature;  ifc. 
Geaii^m,"  Leyden,  1612, 4to«  Thiat^PuflEendorf  sgreateiBti 
MTork ;  and.  it  has  met  withfn  universal  apprebation*  It  ia» 
indeed,  m  body  of  the  law  of  jiamre,  well  digffli^d ;  afid»: 
a|  aeime  ^kiak^  pneferahla  tn  .Qrotius'a  tv^ok  ^  Oe  Jurg 


F  tr  F  FE  N  D  O  R,F;  Wt 

Belli  •&  Pacif,''  simie  the -same  snbj^Mi  ar6  lre»ted  in  s 
910)16' e»teiieiv«  aia«»iHsr,  and  •with  jgfeater  order*  Itwas- 
uan^ated  i»to  Fretiok  by  fiarbayrac,  who  wrote  large  Qbie»  ^ 
»od>an  intFoduceorydiscoiarse,  m  1706;  and  into  English^ 
mth'  BarbicyriK^'s  notes,  by  Dr>  Baail  ICeonet  annl  othenv 
in  17pS.  The  fotirtfa  and  ^fth  edition  of  tbe  EngUfth  l)ra<is«^  "* 
ktiMi'liaii^e  Mr.  Barbey vac's  ini^Foduetory  discourBe^  wbicfa 
itt  not  i«  the  tbree  forrnen.  Jiitiie  cnean  time  Puffendoxf  ' 
was  oUig^d  ^  defend  tbis  work  >agiun8t  several  cetisurers  ; 
tbe  imoflSt  enraged  olt  wlijoni  was  N^bolas  BecjfimaQ,  bis 
eoUetgue  in  the  univeBsity  of  Lunden.  This  writer,  in 
order  to  gifve  tbe  greater  weight  to  jais  ot^ecI'Voni^  eodea** 
Vi^fod  to  'draw  tke  divincis  tote  bis  party,  by  bdinging  v^ 
%i0n  iMo  tbe  dispute,  aiid  vaccu^ing  tfhe  author  of  ^ieteroi* 
dosy^  :His  design  .in  tfais^aa,  to  exaispenate  tbe  clecgjr 
of  Sweden  aigainst  Pi^ffendorf;  iMit  the  senators  of  thai  . 
kingdom  prevented  this,  by  erKJoiaing^bis  enemies,  sileno^ 
aod  (»it]>pvessi«tg  Beckmati's  book  by  tbe  king^s  euthoraty^ 
U  wi^s  n^iinted  nt  Giessen ;  and,  being  brought  to  Swe4 
den,  was  burned  ia  1<675  by  tbe  bands  of  the  exeoadohert 
and  JBeokman,  tbe  author,,  banished  from  the  king's  do^ 
mioiphs  for  having  disobeyed  prdera  is  republishing^  ik> 
Beekeftan  now  gave  his  iury  fcrll  scope,  and  not  e<ily  wrote 
if^iruJiefitly  and  maliciously  against  Puffendorf,  hot  likewdse 
ehallefi^ied  him  to  fight  a  duel :  he  wrote  to  bim  from  Cd-f 
{leilbisgen  in  that  style,  and  threatened  to  jpursue  him 
Wh^vever  be  should  .go,  in  oase  he  did  not  meetrhini)  at -the 
plaee  ap|>ointed.  Pofiendorf  took  no  notioe  of  the  letter^  but 
sent  it  %o  the  consistory  of  the  university  :  yet  thought  it 
neoessury  to  n^y  to^  the  satirical  pieoes  of  that  writer^ 
which  be  did  in  sevm^l  publications.  Ntceron  gives  a 
gded  acoount  of  this  controversy  hi  tbe  r$th  vol.  of  bis 
^*  Monioires.'V 

Other  works  of  PufFendorf  are  :  4.  "  De  ofRcio' Homioi* 
&  Crivis  juxti  legem  natti«iileiii,''^  1  &7  3^  8 voi  This  is  a  very 
elear  A««id  itietbodicat  abridgeioent  of  his  great  work 
^'  De  jure  naturae  &  gentium.''  5.  ^^  Intnoduc^ion  to  the 
History  of  Europe,"  ieB2.  With  a  Gontin^uatien,  1686^ 
end  «n  Additioe,  1^699,  in  German ;  aCterwards  traeslated 
into  Latin,  Fretioh,  Md  English.  5.  ^^  C'ommentaiiorttta 
de  rebus ^SuOcicis  libri  xxvi«  abexpeditieine'Gualtavi.Adoli 
i^i  Regis  in  -GonnaBiam,  ad  .sJbdioataonem  usquq  Chrisr 
tinsB,"  1686,  folio.  Puffendorf,  having  read  the  public 
papenrin  the  archives  of  Swedenv  '•^th  A  design  ol  thritihg 


%66 


PUFFENDORF. 


the  history  of  Charles  Gustavus,  according  to  orders  M* 
ceived  from  Charles  IX.  thought  proper  to  begiu  with  that 
of  Gustavus  Adolphusy  and  to  continue  it  do^n  to  the  ab-  . 
dication  of  queen  Christina:  and  this  he  has  executed  in 
the. present  work,  which  is  very  curious  and  exact  6.  <'  De 
habitu  Religionis  ChristiaiiaB  ad  vitam  civilem,''  16S7,  4to« 
In  this  work  an  attempt  is  mad6  to  settle  the  just  bounds 
between  the  ecclesiastical  and  civil  powers.  7.  ^*  Jus 
Feciale  Divinum,  sive  de  consensu  &  dissensu  Protestaa* 
tiuQ^ :  Exercitatio  Posthuma/'  1695, 8vo.  The  author  here 
proposes  a  scheme  for  the  re-unionof  religions ;  and  it  ap« 
pears  from  the  zeal  with  which  he  recommended  the  prints 
iog  of  it  before  his  death,  that  this  was  his  favourite  work* 
8.  .**  De  rebus  gestis  Frederici  Wilelmi  Magni,  Electoris 
Brandenburgici  Commentarii,*'  1695,  in  2  vols,  folio;. ex- 
tracted from  the  archives  of  the  house  of  Brandenburg. 
To  this  a  supplement  was  published  from  his  MS.  by  count 
Hertsberg  in  1783.  9.  ^^  De  rebus  a  Carolo  Gustavo 
Suecis  Rege  gestis  Commentarii>"  1696,  in  2  vols,  folio: 
He  likewise  published  ^*  An  Historical  Description  of.  the 
Politics  of  the  Papal  empire,"  in  German,  and  some  works 
of  a  smaller  kind,  which,  being  chiefly  polemical,  and 
nothing  more  than  defences  against  ^nvy  and  personal 
abuse,  sunk  into  oblivion  with  the  attacks  which  occasioned 
them.  His  brother  Isaiah,  meationed  above,  was  born  in 
1628,  was  educated  at  Leipsic,  where  he  distinguished 
himself,  and  took  the  degree  of  M.  A.  After  various 
changes  of  fortune,  he  was  made  governor  of  the  young 
count  of  Koningsmark,  and  was  afterwards  chancellor  of 
the  duchy  of  Bremen.  In  1686  be  was  appointed  ambas* 
sador  of  the  king  of  Denmark  to  the  diet  of  Ratisbon,  and 
died  there  in  1689.  He  .is  the  author  of  a  satirical  work, 
entitled  *^  Anecdotes  of  Sweden,  or  Secret  History  of 
Charles  XI."  > 

PULCI  (LuiGi),  one  of  the  most  famous  Italian  poets, 
was  born  at  Florence,  December  3^  1431.  He  was  of  a 
noble  family,  and  was  the  most  poetical  of  three  brothers 
who  all  assiduously  courted  the  Muses.  .  His  two  elder 
brothers,  Bernardo  and  I^uca,  appeared  as  poetSu  earlier 
than  himself.  The  first  production  of  the  fanoily  is  proba- 
b\y  the  Elegy  of  Bernardo  addressed  to  Loi^enzo  de* 
Medici,  on  the  death  of  his  grandfather  Cosmo.     He  also 

.    [  Gen.  Diet,— MiceroD,  toI.  XVIII.o^Moreri.'— Cbaufepie. — 3azu  Onftmast. 


P  U  L  C  I.  261 

wrote  an  elegy  on  the  untimely  death  of  the  beautiful  Si- 
fhonetta,  mistress  of  Giultano  de^  Medici,  the  brother  of 
Lorenzo,  which  was  published  at  Florence  in  1494,  though 
written  much  earlier.     He  produced  the  first  Italian  trans- 
lation of  the  Eclogues  of  Virgil,  which  appears  to  have 
been  finished  about  1470 ;  and  was  published  in  1481 ;  and 
a  poem  on  the  Passion  of  Christ.     Luca  wrote  a  celebrated 
poem  on  a  tournament  held  at  Florence  in  which  Lorenzo 
was  victor,  in   1468,  entitled   ^^  Giostra  di   Lorenzo  de^ 
Medici  ;*'  as  Politian  celebrated  the  success  of  GiulianOj^ 
in  his  *^  Giostra  di  Giuliano  de*  Medici/'     It  is  confessed^ 
however,  that  the  poem  of  Luca  Puici  derives  its  merit 
rather  from  the  minute  information  it  gives  respecting  the 
exhibition,  than  from  its  poetical  excellence.  "He  pro-« 
duced  also  **  II  CirifFo  Calvaneo,"  an  epic  romance,  pro- 
bably the  first  that  appeared  in  Italy,  being  certainly  prior 
to  the  Morgante  of  his  brother,  and  the  Orlando  Tnnamo- 
rato  of  Bojardo:  and  the  **  Driadeo  d^Amore,'*  a  pastoral 
romance  in  ottava  rimd.     There  are  also  eighteen  heroic 
epistles  by  him  in  terza  r2Vna,  the  first  from  LucretiaDonati  to 
Lorenzo  de  Medici,  the  rest  on  Greek  and  Roman  subjects. 
These  were  printed  in  1481,  and  do  credit  to  their  author: 
'    Luigi  appears,  from  many  circumstances,  to  have  lived 
on  terms  of  the  utmost  friendship  with  Lorenzo  de  Medici^ 
who,  in  his  poem  entitled  **  La  Caccla  col  Falcone,"  men- 
tions him  with  great  freedom  and  jocularity.     His  princi-- 
pal  work  is  the  •*  Morgante  maggiore,"  an  epic  romance. 
'Whether  this  or  the  Orlando  Innamorato  of  Bojardo  was 
first  written,  has  been  a  subject  of  doubt.    Certain  it  is  that 
the  Morgante  had  the  priority  in  publication,  having  been, 
printed  at  Venice  in  1488,  after  a  Florentine  edition  of 
uncertain  date;  whereas  Bojardo^s  poem  did  not  appear  titl 
1496,  and,  from  some  of  the  concluding  lines,  appears  not 
to  have  been  finished  in  1494.     The  Morgante  may  there- 
fore be  justly,  as  it  is  generally,  regarded  as   the  proto- 
type of  the  Orlando  Furioso  of  Ariosto.  .  It  has  been  said 
without  foundation  that  Ficinus  and  Politian  had  a  share  in 
this  composition.     It  was  first  written  at  the  particular  re- 
quest of  Lucretia,  mother  of  Lorenzo  de  Medici,  but  it 
was  not  finished  till  after  her  death,  which  happened  in 
'  1482.    It  is  said  by  Crescimbeni  that  PuIci  was  accustomed 
to  recite  this  poem  at  the  table  of  Lorenzo,  in  the  manner 
of  the  ancient  rbapsodists.     This  singtitar  offspring  df  the 
wayward  genius  of  Pulci  has  beeu  as  immoderately  com- 


ae^  p  U  L  c  I. 

niended  by  k9  admirers,  as  it  has  been  uvreasonably  cot(# 
demoed  aod  degraded  by  its  opponents :  and  while  some 
have  not  scrupled  to  prefer  it  to  the  productions  of  Ariosto 
^nd  Tassoy  others  have  decried  it  as  vulgar,  absCird,  anf} 
profane*  From  the  solemnity  and  devotion  with  which 
every  canto  is  introduced,  some  have  judged  that  the  auf 
thor  meant  to  give  a  serious  narrative,  but  the  improha** 
bility  of  the  relation,  and  the  burlesque  nature  of  the  Iot 
cidents,  destroy  all  ideas  of  this  kind.  M,  de  la  Mpunpyf^ 
says  that  the  author^  whom  he  conceives  to  have  been  ig** 
horant  of  ruleSfhaa  confounded  the  comic  and  serious «ty]e«| 
&nd  made  the  giant,  bis  hero,  die  a  burlesque  death^.  bf 
the  bite  of  a  sea- crab  in  his  heel,  in  the  twentieth  bo^i^ 
so  that  in  the  eight  which  remain  he  is  not  meationedC 
Ybe  native  simplicity  of  the  narration,  he  9dds|  covers,  ali 
faults ;  and  the  lov^s  of  the  Florentine  dialeqt  still  i:ei^d  ^ 
^  with  delight,  especially  when  they  can  procure  the  editipii 
pf  Venice,  in  1546  or  1^50,  with  the  explanations  of  his 
nephew  John  Pulci.  These,  however^  are  no  more  thaqi 
a  {[lossary  of  a  few  words  subjoined  to  each  canto.  Tber^ 
are  also  sonnets  by  Luigi  Pulci^  published  with  those  of 
Matteo  Franco,  in  which  the  twQ  authors  satirize  /e^ch 
other  without  mercy  or  delicacy ;  yet  it  is  supposed  that 
they  were  very  good  friepds,  and  only  took  these  libexti^ 
with  each  other  for  the  sake  of  amusing  the  public. .  Tbejr 
were  published  about  the  6fteenth  century,  entitled  ''Sop<^ 
etti  di  Misere  Mattheo  Franco  et  di  Luigi  Pulci  jocosi;  el 
fac^tij  cioe  da  ridere.*'  No  other  poem  of  this  author  is 
mentioned  by  Mr.  Bosooe,  who  has  given  the  best  accouot 
of  him,  except  ^'  La  Beca  di  Dicom^no,"  written,  in  iini}a* 
tation  and  emulation  of  ^^  La  Nencio  da  Barberino,'^  by 
I^renzo  de  Medici,  and  published  with.it.  Itisapoeo^ 
in  the  rustic  style  and  language,  but  instead  of  the  §»ore 
chastised  and  delicate  humour  of  Lorenso,  the  poe^i  of 
Pulci,  says  Mr.  Roscoe,  partakes  of  the  cbaraaer  pf  hit 
Morgante,  and  wanders  into  the  burlesque  and  extrava* 
fi;ant.  It  has  been  sujpposed  that  this  poet  died  about  1487^ 
biit  it  was  probably  something  later.  The  exact  tiope  19 
not  known.  ^  .  .       , 

PULLEN,  or  PULLU8  (Robert),  an  English  cardinal 
who  flourished  in  the  twelfth  century,  was  distinguished  s^ 
in  zealous  friend  to  the  interests  of  literature.    He  is  placed 

}  Rofcoe%  Lhsbzo,— ^itt^ene  Hist.  Lit.  d'ltalie. 


P  U  L  L  E  N.  369 

liy  I'uller  as  a  nativie  of  Oxfordshire,  perhaps  from  his  coh- 
nectiori  with  the  university.  In  his  youth  he  studied  at 
Paris,  and  about  1130  returned  to  England,  where  he 
found  the  university  of  Oxford  ravaged  and  nearly  ruined 
fey  the  Danes,  under  the  reigrt  of  HaVold  I.  and  by  his 
indefatigable  exertions  contributed  to  its  restoration.  The 
Chronicle  of  Osny  records  him  as  having  begun  in  the 
r^ign  of  Henry  I.  to  read  the  Scriptures  at  Oxford,  which 
were  grown  obsolete,  and  it  is  supposed  he  commented  on 
Aristotle.  Rouse,  the  Warwick  antiquary,  mentions  his 
reading  the  Holy  Scriptures,  probably  about  1134,  about 
which  time  he  had  a  patron  in  Henry  I.  who  had  built  his 
palace  near  the  university.  For  some  years  he  taught  daily 
in  the  schools,  and  was  rewarded  with  the  archdeaconry 
of  Rochester.  After  this  he  returned  to  Paris,  where  he 
filled  the  chair  of  professor  of  divinity.  He  was,  however, 
yecalled  by  his  metropolitan,  and  the  revenues  of  his  bene- 
fice sequestered  till  be  obeyed  the  summons.  The  arch-^ 
deacon  appealed  to  the  see  of  Rome,  and  sentence  was 
given  in  his  favour.  The  fame  of  his  learning  induced 
pope  Innocent  II.  to  invite  him  to  Rome,  where  he  was 
received  with  great  marks  of  honour;  and  in  1144  was 
created  cardinal  by  Celestine  II.  and  afterwards  chancellor 
of  the  Roman  church,  by  pope  Lucius  II.  He  died  in 
1 150.  He  was  author  of  several  works;  but  the  only  one 
of  them  now  extant  is  his  '^  Sententiarum  Liber,'^  which 
was  published  at  Paris  in  1655.  It  differs  in  some  measiire 
from  the  general  character  of  the  times ;  as  \^e  prefers  the 
simple  authority  of  reason  and  scripture  to  the  testimony 
of  the  fathers,  or  the  subtlety  of  metaphysics.  * 

PULMANNU8  (Theodore),  properly  Poelman,  a  Dutch 
commentator  on  the  classics,  was  born  at  Granenbourg,  in 
the  Dutchy  of  Cleves,  about  1510.  He  was  bred  a  fuller, 
but  by  diligent  application  became  an  able  scholar,  critic, 
and  granditiarian.  He  principally  applied  himself  to  the 
correction  of  the  Latin  poets  from  ancient  manuscripts,  and 
superintended  sokie  good  editions  of  them  at  the  press  of 
Piantifi.  He  published  in  1551  Arator's.  History  of  the 
Acts  of  the  Apostles  in  Latin  hexameters,  with  hb  own 
coirections  of  the  text.  Virgil;  Lucan,  Juvenal,  Horace, 
Ausonitts,  Claudian^  Terence,  Suetonius,  and  £sop's  Fa* 

1  Leland.— -Cave.— Dupin.— Tanner.— Wood's  Annah.-^FulIer's  Worthitt,— 
Bracker.— Moreri. 

Vol.  XXV.  Bb 


370  P  U  L  M  A  N  N  U  S. 

blesy  were  also  edited  by  hitai/^i^nd  the  works  of  St.  Patii- 
linus.  He  is  supposed  to  have  died  about  1580,  at  Sala- 
manca, but  the  cause  which  led  him  so  far  from  home  we 
cannot  assign.  ^ 

PULTENEY  (Richard),  a  distinguished  botanist  and 
ftble  physician,  was  born  at  Loughborough,  Feb.  17,  17S0. 
He  first  settled  as  a  surgeon  and  apotheicary  at  Leices- 
ter ;  but  having  been  educated  as  a  Calvinistic  dissenter^ 
the  people  of  that  town,  who  chanced  to  have  different  pre* 
judices,  of  course  gave  him  but  little  support.  He  strug- 
gled against  pecuniary  difficultiei^  with  economy,  and 
shielded  his  peace  of  mind  against  bigotry,  in  himself  or 
others,  by  looking  ^^  through  nature,  tip  to  nature's  God.'' 
His  remarks  and  discoveries  were  communicated  first  to 
the  Gentleman's  Magazine,  in  1750,  as  well  as  several  sub- 
sequent years ;  and  he  intermixed  antiquarian  studies  with 
his  other  pursuits.  His  botanical  papers  printed  by  the 
royal  society,  on  the  Sleep  of  Plants,  and  the  Rare  Plants 
of  Leicestershire,  procured  him  the  honour  of  election  intQ 
that  learned  body  in  1762.  In  1764  he  obtained  a  diplo- 
ma of  doctor  of  physic  from  Edinburgh,  even  without  ac- 
complishing that  period  of  residence,  then  usually  required, 
and  now  indispensable  ;  and  his  thesis  on  the  cincfUma  offi* 
cinalis  amply  justified  the  indulgence  of  the  university* " 

Soon  afterwards^  Dr.  Pulteney  was  acknowledged '  as  fi 
relation  by  the  earl  of  Bath,  who  had  incibihed  a  favourable 
opinion  of  his  talents  ;  which  circumstances  induced,  him 
to  attach  himself  to  that  nobleman  as  travelling  physician. 
His  lordship  unfortunately  died  soon  after,  on  which  the 
subject  of  our  memoir,  becoming  at  a  loss  for  a  situa^On^ 
hesitated  whether  to  settle  at  London  or  elsewhere  ^  buti  he 
soon  decided  in  favour  of  Blandford,  in  Dorsetshire,  where 
there  happened  to  be  a  vacancy.  Hene  be  continued  in 
great  reputation,  and  extensive  practice,  till  bis  deaths 
which  happened  on  the  13th  of  October  iaoi,  to  the  djeep 
regret  of  all  who  knew  him,  in  the  72d  year  of  his  age. 
His  disease  was  to  inflammatiou  in  the  lung^,  ol  only  ^ 
week's  duration. 

Dr.  Pulteney  married,  in  1779,  Miss  Elizabeth  Qaltoo^ 
of  Blandford,  a  lady  who  bore  him  no  children,  but  whose 
society  and  attainments  contributed  very  essentially  to  hi^ 
happiness,  and  who  has  in  every  respect  proved  herself 

'  JOict.  Hilt. 


P  y  L  T  EN  E  Y.  in 

fott}^y  of  her  amiable  aod  di^tingui^bed  bustbaiid.  Uk  i^^ 
in^ins  wer^  iQtQrFQd  «^t  Langton^  iieadr  Blimdford,;  a  labial; 
$0  bis  memory  haviog  been  pUcedi  by  bU  widdw^  ia  tbe 
church  of  the  last-mentioned  town^  This  monument  is  de^ 
ponHed  with  a  9prig  qf  the  PuUen^a  stipnlaris,  so  •caU^i 
}n  hopour  of  him  by  the  president  of  the  Linnssan  society  ( 
liiut  in  obedience  to  tbe  strict  commands  of  the  deceased^ 
the  inscription  is  of  the  simplest  kind. 

As  an  author,  Dr,  Pulteney  was  conspicuoHaly  distin^. 
guished  by  his  ^'General  view  of  the  Writings  of  Linnaeus/* 
and  his  "  Sketches  of  the  progress  of  Botany  in  England.'* 
The  former,  published  in  17S2,  in  one  volume  8vo,  biOK 
coqtributed  more  than  any  work,  except  perhaps  the  Tracts 
of  Stillingfieet,  to  diffuse  a  taste  for  Linna&an  knowledge 
in  this  country.  It  proved  a  very  popular  book,  and  a 
new  edition  was  soon  called  for.  This,  howeter,  did  riot 
lappear  during  the  author^slife ;  but  has  been  published  by 
his  learned  and  much  valued  friend  Dr.  Maton^  who  hi^ 
pjreiii^ed  to  this  handsome  quarto^. portraits  of  LinnsBus  and 
bis  biographer,,  with  a  life  of  the  latter.  A  translation  of 
LinnsB^us's  celebrated  manuscript  diary  of  his  own  life  is 
subjoined. 

The  '^  Sketches  of  the  progress  of  Botany,''  making  two « 
Octavo  volumes,  appeared  in  1790,  but  did  not  become  so 
popular  as  the  Account  of  Linnaeus.*  Theto  volumes,  ne- 
trertheless,  abound  with  original  and  valuable  information  ; 
nor  b  it  any  reproach  to  the  memory  of  their  intelligent 
author,  that  they  do  not  contain,  as  he  was  well  aware,  all 
that  might  have  been  collected  on  every  subject.  Their 
siost  learned  reckders  will  ever  be  more  sensible  of  their 
merits  than  their  defects. 

Dr.  Pulteney  bad  been  associated  with  tbe  Linnsean  so* 
ciety  soon  after  its  first  institution,  and  he  ever  retained  a 
great  attachment  to  that  body,  as  vtrell  as  to  its  founder. 
Several  of  his  papers  appear  in  the  Transactions  of  tbe 
Society ;  and  he'  gave  a  final  proof  of  his  regard  in  the 
bequest  of  bis  valuable  museum  of  natural  history.  He 
stipulated  that  his  collections  should  always  be  kept  se^^ 
patate  from  any  others  which  tbe  society  might  possess  ; 
and  he  provided  that  it  should  be  at  tbe  option  of  the 
members,,  either  to  keep  this  museum  entire,  or  to  dispose 
of  it^  in  order  to  raise  a  fund,  whose  interest  should  be 
expended  annually  in  a  medal  for  the  best  botanical  paper 
read  before  tbe  society  in  tbe  course  of  the  year.     It  was 

BB  2 


372  1?  U  t  T  E  N  E  f . 

without  hesitation  determined,  that  these  treasures  shoulcl 
be  preserved  entire,  as  the  best  anid  most  useful  memorial 
of  a  benefactor  to  science,  to  whom  a  large  portion  of  this 
corporate  body  were  individually  and  strongly  attached. 
Few  men  have  enjoyed  more  eAtifely  the  fespeet  itkd  af'^ 
fection  of  his  acquaintance  than  Dr.  Pultenej^.  An  air  of 
urbanity  and  gaiety  was  diffused  over  bis  countenance  and 
manners,  which  besppke  the  simplicity^  candour,  and  li-^^ 
berality  of  his  mind.  His  ardour  for  science  was  un- 
bounded;  and  as  lively  at  the  close  of  his  life  as-  at  the 
beginning  of  his  literary  career.  His  religion  wias  nnaf*- 
fected,  and  devoid  of  bigotry  or  intolerance,  the  only  feel- 
ings which  he  contemplated  without  sympathy  or  induU 
gence.  His  conversation,  like  his  morals,  was  spotless; 
and  his  cheerfulness  flowed  from  the  never-failing  spring 
of  a  benevolent  and  honest  heart. ' 

PULTENEY  (William),  Earl  op  Bath,  an  eminent 
English  statesman,  was  descended  from  an  ancient  family, 
who  took  their  surname  from  a  place  of  that  appellation  in 
Leicestershire.  His  grandfather,  sir  William  Pulteney, 
was  member  of  parliament  for  the  city  of  Westminster,  and 
highly  distinguished  himself  in  the  House  of  Commons  by 
his  manly  and  spirited  eloquence.  Of  bis  father,  little  is 
upon  record.  He  was  born  in  1682,  and  educated  at 
Westminster  school  and  Christ-church,  Oxford,  where  his 
talents  and  industry  became^  so  conspicuous,  that  dean 
Aldrich  appointed  him  to  make  the  congratulatory  speech 
to  queen  Anne,  on  her  visit  to  the  college.  Having  tra- 
velled through  various  parts  of  Europe,  he  returned  to  his 
native  country  with  a  mind  highly  improved,  and  came 
into  parliament  for  the  borough  of  Heydon  in  Yorkshire, 
by  the  interest  of  Mr.  Guy,  his  protector  and  great  bene- 
factor, who  left  him  40,000/.  and  an  estate  of  500/.  a  year. 

Being  descended  from  a  whig  family,  and  educated  in 
revolution  principles,  he  warmly  espoused  that  party,  and 
during  the  whole  reign  of  queen  Anne  opposed  the  mea- 
sures of  the  tories.  His  first  speech  was  in  support  of  the 
place-bill.  He  had  form^  a  notion,  that  no  young  mem- 
ber ought  to  press  into  public  notice  with  too  much  for- 
wardness, and  fatigue  the  House  with  long  orations,  until 
he  had  acquired  the  habit  of  order  and  precision.  He  was 
often  beard  to  declare,  that  hardly  any  person  ever  became 

J  Reei'i  Cyclopedia  bj  sir  J.  £.  Soiitb.--GeQt  Mag.  LXXL 


P:TJ  LT  EN  E,Y*  373. 

«'|;ood  orator,  who  b^gan  with  making  a  set  speech.  Me 
eonceived  that  the  circumstances  of  the  moaient  shoula 
impel  them  to  the  delivery  of  sentiments^  which  should 
derive  their  tenor  and  application  from  the  course  of  the 
debate,  and  not  be  the  result  of  previous  s^udy  or  inva- 
riable arrangement.  These  rules  are  generally  good,  but 
we  can  recollect  at  least  one  splendid  exception.  Ou  the 
prosecution  of  Dr.  Sacheverel,  Mr.  Pulteney  distinguished; 
kimself  in  the  House  of  Commons,  in  defence  of.  the  revo- 
kition,  against  the  doctrines  of  passive  obedience  and  non- 
resistance.  When  the  tories  came  into  power,^  in  1710, 
be'  was  so  obnoxious  to  them,  that  his  uucle,  John  Pul* 
teney,  was  removed  from  the  board  of  tr^de.  He  not  only 
took  a  principal  share  in  the  debates  of  the  four  last  years 
of  queen  Anne,  while  the  whigs  were  in  opposition,  but 
was  also  admitted  into  the  most  important  secrets  of  bis 
party,  at  that  critical  time,  when  the.  succession  of  the 
Hanover  family  being. supposed  to  be  in  danger,  its  fdedds. 
engaged  iu  very  bold  enterprizes  to  secure  it.  He  was  a 
liberal  subscriber  to  a  very  unprofitable  and  hazardous  loan,, 
then  secretly  negociated  by  the  whig  party,  for  the  use  of 
the  emperor,  to  encourage  him  to  refuse  co-operating  with 
the  tory  administration  in  making  the  peace  of  Utrecht. 

On  the  prosecution  of  Walpole  for  high  breach  of  trust 
and  corruption,  Pulteney  warmly  vindicated  his  friend,  for. 
such  he  then  was;  and,  on  his  commitment  to  the  Tower,, 
was  amongst  those  who  paid  frequeut  visits  to  the  prisoner, 
whom  he,  with  the  rest  of  the  whigs,  considered  as  a  mar* 
tyr  to  their  cause.  He  also  engaged  with  Walpole  ia 
defending  the  whig  administration,  and  wrote  the  ironiciil 
dedication  to  the  earl  of  Oxford,  prefixed  to  Walpole^s 
account  of  the  parliament.  On  the  accession  of  George  I. 
Mr.  Pulteney  was  appointed  privy-counsellor  and  secretary 
at  war,  in  opposition  to  the  inclination  of  the  duke  of 
Marlborough,  who,  as  commander  in  chief,  thought  him- 
self entitled  to  recommend  to  that  post.  He  was  chosen  a 
member  of  the  committee  of  secrecy,  nominated,  by  the 
House  of  Commons,  to  examine  and  report  the  substance  of 
the  papers  relating  to  the  negociation  for  peace ;  and  oii 
the  suppression  of  the  rebellion  of  17  15,  he. moved  for  the 
impeachment  of  lord  Widrington,  and  opposed  the  motion 
to  address  the  king  for  a  proclamation,  oflfering  a  general 
pardon  to  all  who  were  in  arms  in  Scotland,  who  should  lay 
iiown  their  arms  within  a  certain  time.  ... 


374  P  U  L  T  E  N  E  y. 

I 

He  was  at  this  period  so  tnucb  oonnefeted  wkh  Stafihc^e 
and  Walpoie,  that,  in  allusion  to  the  triple  alliance  between. 
Great  Britain,  France,  and  Holland,  which  was  then  nego* 
elating  by  general  Stanhope,  secretary  of  state,  they  wiere 
called  the  three  ^^  grand  allies  ;^'  and.  a  proverbial  saying 
was  current,  ^^Are  you  come  into  the  triple  alliance  ^^^ 
But  when  Stanhope  and  Walpole  took  difFerent  sides,  oa 
the  schism  between  the  whigs,  when  Townsend  was  dis- 
missed and  Walpole  resigned,  Pulteney  followed  his  friend's 
example,  and  gave  up  his  place  of  secretary  at  war.  When 
Walpole  made  a  reconciliation  between  the  king  and  the 
prince  of  Wales,  and  negociated  with  Sunderland  to  (ortOL 
a  new  administration,  in  which  he  and  lord  TowQsen4  bore 
the  most  conspicuous  part,  then  were  first  sown  those  seeds 
of  disgust  and  discontent  which  afterwards  burst  forth* 
The  causes  of  this  i^nfortunate  misunderstanding  may  be 
traced  from  the  authority  of  the  parties  themselv^,  or 
their  particular  friends.  Pulteney  was  offended  because 
Walpole  had  negociated  with  the  prince  of  Wales  and 
Sunderland,  without  communicating  the  progress  to  faim, 
although  he  had  tol4  it  to  Mr.  Edgeumbe,  who  indiscreetly 
gave  ft  daily  account  to  Pulteney.  Another  cause  of  dis-* 
gust  was,  that  Pulteney,  w)io  had  hitherto  invariably  prored 
lis  attachment  to  Townsend  and  Walpole,  expected  to 
lieceive  some  important  ennployment,  whereas  be  was  only 
offered  a  peerage ;  and,  when  he  declined  it,  more  than 
two  years  elapsed  before  any  farther  overtures  were  made; 
and  though  Pulteney,  at  length,  solicited  and  obtained 
the  ofSce  of  cofferer  pf  the  household^  he  deemed  that 
place  far  below  his  just  expectations.  Although,  there* 
fore,  be  continued  to  support  the  measures  of  admioistrai' 
tion  for  some  time,  the  disdainful  manner  in  which  be 
conceived  he  had  been  treated  by  Walpole  had  made  too 
(deep  an  impressipn  on  his  mind  to  be  eradicated.  Finding 
that  he  did  not  possess  the  full  confidence  of  administra» 
tion,  or  disapproving  those  measures  which  tended,  in  his 
opinion,  to  raise  the  power  of  France  on  the  ruins  of  the 
house  of  Austria,  and  which,  in  his  opinion,  sacrificed  the 
interests  of  Great  Britain  to  those  of  Hanover,  topics  on 
which  he  afterwards  expatiated  with  great  energy  and  on- 
usual  eloquence  in  parliament,  he  became  more  and  more 
estranged  from  his  former  friends,  and  expressed  his  dis* 
Approbation  of  their  measures  both  in  public  and  private. 
At  length  his  dissontent  arrived  at  sp  great  a  height^  that 


P  i;  L  T  E  N  E  Y.  375 

b«  declared  bis  resolution  of  «ttecking  the  minister  ii^ 
parliament. 

.  Waipole  perceived  his  error,  in  disgusting  so  able  aa 
associate ;  and,  with  a  view  to  prevent  his  opposition  to 
the  payment  of  the  king^s  debts,  hinted  to  him,  in  the. 
House  of  Commons,  that  at  the  removal  of  either  of  the 
secretaries  of  state,  the  ministers  designed  him  fqr  thq 
vacant  employment.    To  this  proposal  Pulteney  made  n<^ 
answer,  but  bowed  and  smiled,  to  let  him  know  he  under* 
stood  his  meaning.     He  now  came  forward  as  the  great 
opposer  of  government ;  and  bis  first  exertion  on  the  side 
of  the  minority,  was  on  the  subject  of  the  civil  list,  theni 
in  arrears.    For  this  he  was  soon  afterwards  dismissed  from 
bis  place  of  cofferer  of  the  househeld,  and  began  a  systemai- 
tic  opposition  to  the  minister;  in  which  he  proved  himself 
so  formidable,  that  Waipole  again  endeavoured  to  reconcile 
him ;  and  about  the  time  of  Towhsend^s  resignation,  (jueen 
Caroline  offered  him  a  peerage,  together  with  the  post  of 
secretary  of  state  for  foreign  affairs ;  but  he  declared  hi^i 
fixed  resolution  never  again  to  act  with  sir  Robert  Wal-^ 
pole*     The  most  violent  altercations  now  passed  in  the 
House  of  Commons  between  them :  their  heat  against  each 
other  seemed  to  increase  in  proportion  to  their  former 
intimacy,  and  neither  was  deficient  in  sarcastic  allusionsy 
violent  accusations,    and  virulent  invectives.     For  these 
the  reader  may  be  referred  to  the  parliamentary  history 
of  the  times,  or  to  the  excellent  Life  of  Waipole,  by 
Mr.  Cbxe,  to  which  the  present  article  is  almost  soleljr 
ipdebted. 

Pulteney  placed  himself  at  the  head  of  the  discontented 
whigs;  and,  in  conjunction  with  Bolingbroke,  bis  ancient 
antagonist,  be  became  the  principal  supporter  of  the 
'^  Craftsman  ;^'  to  which  paper  he  gave  many  essays,  and 
furnished  hints  and  observations.  The  controversy  ii^ 
173],  which  passed  between  Pulteney  and  Walpole^s 
friends  and  pamphleteers,  widened  the  breach,  and  ren-> 
dered  it  irreparable.  The  ^^  Craftsman'*,  was  full  of  invec-* 
tives  against  Waipole,  and  the  measures  of  his  administra*? 
tion.  In  answer  to  this  paper,  a  pamphlet  was  published 
under  the  title  of  ^' Sedition  and  .Defamation  displayed,'' 
which  contained  a  scurrilous  abuse  of  Pulteney  and  Boling-* 
^roke.  Pulteney's  opposition  is  here  wholly  atttibutedf 
and  surely  not  very  unjustly,  to  disappointed  ambition  ao^ 
personal  pique.    In  answer  to  this  pamphlet,  which  PuU 


1 


376  P  U  L  T  E  N  E  Y. 

teney  supposed  to  be  written  by-lord  Henrey,  the  great 
friend  and  supporter  of  sir  Robert  Walpole,  he  wrote  "  Aj 
proper  reply  to  a  late  scurrilous  libel,  &c.  by  Caleb  D-An- 
versy  of  Gray^s  Inn,  esq.  ;'*  and  introduced  a  character  of 
sir  Robert,  which  does  not  yield  in  scurrility  or  misrepre* 
sentation  to  that  of  Pulteney,  given  in  ^*  Sedition  and  De- 
famation displayed."  The  author  also  treated  lord  Her- 
vey  (Pope's  lord  Hervey)  with  such  contempt  and  ridicule, 
in  allusion  to  bis  effeminate  appearance,  as  a  species  of 
half  man  and  half  woman,  that  his  lord&hip  was  highly 
offended :  a  duel  ensued,  and  Pulteney  slightly  wounded 
his  antagonist  Pulteney  afterwards  acknowledged  his  mis-^ 
take^  when  he  found  that  the  pamphlet  was  not  written  by 
lord  Hervey,  but  appears  to  have  made  a  similar  mistake, 
in  ascribing  it  to  Walpole  ;  for  it  was  the  production  of  sir 
William  Yonge,  secretary  at  war. 

The  **  Craftsman"  involved  Pulteney  in  other  contro- 
versies, in  one  of  which  he  wrote  his  famous  pamphlet, 
entitled  *^  An  Answer  to  One  part  of  a  late  infamous  libel, 
intituled  *  Remarks  on  the  Craftsman's  vindication  of  his 
two  honourable  patrons,'  in  which  the  character  and  con- 
duct of  Mr.  P.  is  fully  vindicated."  In  this  Mr.  Pulteney 
was  so  irritated,  as  to  disclose  some  secret  conversation 
with  Walpole,  and  some  contemptuous  expressions  whicb 
that  stateisman  uttered  against  the  king,  when  prince  of 
Wales;  bat  this,  instead  of  producing  the  effect  which 
Pulteney  probably  expected,  only  raised  his  majesty's 
resentment  higher  against  himsielf.  Franklin,- the  printer 
of  the  pamphlet,  was  arrested ;  PuUeney's  name  wa^  struck 
out  of  the  list  of  privy-counsellors,  and  he  was  put  out  of 
all  commissions  of  the  peace ;  measures  which  tended  to 
render  the  breach  irreparable,  while  they  added  consider- 
able popularity  to  Pulteney.  It  was  some  time  after  this 
that  he  made  that  celebrated  speech,  in  which  he  compared 
the  ministry  to  an  empiric,  and  the  constitution  of  Eng- 
land to  his' patient.  ^^This  pretender  in  physic,"  said  he, 
**  being  consulted,  tells  the  distempered  person,  there 
were  but  two  or  three  ways  of  treating  his  disease,  and  be 
was  afraid  that  none  of  them  would  succeed.  A  vomit 
might  throw  him  into  convulsions,  that  would  occasion 
immediate  death :  a  purge  might  bring  on  a  diarrhoea,  that 
would  carry  him  off  in  a  short  time:  and  he  had. been 
already  bled  so  much,  and  so  often,  that  be  could  bear  ik 
no  longer.    The  unfortunate  patient,  shocked  ^t  t(iis  decla^ 


P  U  L  T  E  N  E  Y.  377 

ration,  replies,  Sir,  you  have  always  pretended  ta  be  a. 
regular  doctor,  but  I  noiv  find  you  are  an  errant  quack : 
I  had  an  excellent  constitution  when  I  first  f^li  into  your 
hands,  but  you  have  quite  destroyed  it ;  and  now,  J  find^. 
I  have  no  other  chance  for'  saving  my  life,  but  by  calling 
for  the  help  of  some  regular  physician." 

In  this  manner  he  continued  inflexibly  severe,  attacking 
the  measures  of  the  minister  with  a  degree  of  eloquence 
and  sarcasm  that  worsted  every  antagonist ;  and  sir  Robert 
was  often  beard  to  say,  that  he  dreaded  his  tongue  more 
than  another  man^s  sword.  In  1738,  when  opposition  ran 
so  high,  that  several  members  openly  left  the  House,  as 
finding  that  party,  and  not  reason,  carried  it  in  every, 
motion,  Pulteney  thought  proper  to  vindicate  the  extraor- 
dinary step  which  they  had  taken ;  and,  when  a  motion 
was  made  for  removing  sir  Robert  Walpole,  he  warmly 
supported  it.  What  a  singlie  session  could  not  effect,  was 
at  length  brought  about  by  time ;  and,  in  1741,  when  sir 
Robert  found  his  place  of  prime  minister  no  longer  tenable, 
be  wisely  resigned  all  his  employments,  and  was  created 
earl  of  Orford.  His  opposers  also  were  assured  of  being 
provided  for ;  and,  among  other  promotions,  Pulteney 
bimself  was  sworn  of  the  privy-council,  and  soon  after- 
wards created  earl  of  Bath.  He  had  long  lived  in  the  very 
focus  of  popularity,  and  was  respected  as  the  chief  bul- 
\^ark.  against  the  encroachments  of  the  crown ;  but,  from 
the  moment  he  accepted  a  title,  all  his  favour  with  the 
people  was  at  an  end,  and  the  rest  of  his  life  was  spent  in 
contemning  that  applause  which  be  no  longer  could  secure. 
What  can  be  said  in  his  favour  has  been  candidly  stated  by 
the  biographer  of  his  great  antagonist.  Dying  without 
issue,  June  8,  1764,  his  title  became  extinct;  and  his  only 
son,  having  died  some  time  before  in  Portugal,  the  pater- 
nal estate  devolved  to  his  brother,  the  late  lieutenant- 
general  Pulteney.  Besides  the  great  part  he  bore  in  "  The 
Craftsman,^*  he  was  the  author  of  many  political  pam- 
phlets; in  the  drawing  up  and  composing  of  which  no  man 
of  his  time  was  supposed  to  exceed  him.  Lord  Orford, 
who  has  introduced  him  among  his  Royal  and  Noble  Au- 
thors, says,  that  his  writings  will  be  better  known  by  his 
name,  than  his  name  will  be  by  his  writings,  though  his 
prose  had  much  effect,  and  his  verses  (for  he  was  a  poet) 
were  easy  and  gracefol.  **  Both  were  occasional,  and  not 
dedicated  to  the  love  of  fame.     Good-humour,   and  the 


37S  P  U  L  T  E  N  E  Y. 

spirit  of  society,  dictated  his  poetry  :  umbitton  wi  acrU 
inony  bis  political  writings.     The  latter  made  Pope  «ay. 

How  many  Martials  were  in  Pult^ney  lost ! 

**That  loss,  however,  was  amply  compensated  to  the 
world  by  the  odes  tP  which  lord  Bathes  political  conduct 
gave  birth.  The  pen  of  sir  Charles  Hanbury  Williams 
inflicted  deeper  wounds  in  three  months  on  this  lord,  than 
a  series  of  Craftsmen,^aid'ed  by  lord  Bolingbroke  for  several 
years,  could  imprint  on  sir  Robert  Walpole.  The  latter 
lost  his  power,  but  lived  to  see  justice  done  to  his  cha- 
racter. His  rival  acquired  no  power,  but — died  very  rich.'* 
Allowance  must  here  be  made  for  lord  Orford's  partiality 
to  his  father.  Lord  Bath  had  better  attributes  than  the 
sole  one  of  dying  rich.  His  character  is  given  with  more 
truth,  as  well  as  favour,  in  the  lives  of  the  bishops  Pearce 
and  Newton.  He  was  generous  and  affectionate.  Of  all 
his  misfortunes,  none  touched  him  so  nearly  as  the  death 
of  bis  son,  the  hopes  of  his  family,  now  extinct.' 

PULZONE  (SciPiO),  of  Qaeta,  born  in  1550,  was 
educated  in  the  school  of  del  Conte.  Though  he  died 
young,  he  left  a  great  name  for  excellence  in  portrait- 
painting.  "He  made  numbers  foi*  the  popes  and  the  nobi- 
lity of  his  time,  with  a  power  wh|ch  acquired  him  the  name 
of  the  Roman  Vandyck  :  but  he  ismore  elaborate,  or  what 
the  Italians  call  ^  leccato,*  and  preluded  to  the  style  of 
Seybolt  in  the  extreme  finish  of  hair,  and  the  representa* 
tion  of  windows  and  otber  objects  in  the  pupil  of  the  eyes. 
His  historic  subjects  partake  of  tbe^ame  minute  attention  : 
such  is  his  Crucifix  in  the  Vallicella,  and  the  Assumption 
in  St.  Silvestro,  on  Monte  Cavallo;  a  work  of  correct 
design,  graceful  tints,  and  sweet  effect.  The  Borghese 
palace,  and  the  gallery  at  Florence,  possess  two  paintings 
of  his.  His  cabinet  pictures  are  as  scarce  as  precious.  He 
died  in  1588,  in  the  thirty- eighth  year  of  his  age.  * 

PURBACH  (GEOitGE),  a  very  eminent  mathematician 
and  astronomer,  was  born  at  Purbach,  a  town  upon  the 
confines  of  Bavaria  and  Austria,  in  1423,  and  educated  at 
Vienna.  He  afterwards  visited  the  most  celebrated  uni- 
versities in  Germany,  France,  and  Italy;  and  found  a 
particular  friend  and  patron  in  cardinal  Cusa,  at  Rome. 
Returning  to  Vienna,  he  was  appointed  mathematical  pro- 

'  Coxe'B  Life  of. Walpole Lord  Orfoid^s  Works,  vol.  I.-^wift's  Works  j  see 

Index. — Chesteifield's  Life  and  Letters. — Nichob's  Poems. 
•  *  PilkingtoB,  by  Fuseli. 


P  U  R.B  A  C  H.  37^ 

feMor,  in  whicb  office  he  continued  till  h\$  death,  which 
happened  in  146 1,  in  the  39th  year  of  his  age  only,  to  the 
great  loss  of  the  learned  world. 

Purbach  composed  a  great  number  of  pieces  upon  ma* 
theqiatical  and  astronomical  subjects,  and  his  fame  brought 
many  students'to  Vienna ;  and,  among  them,  the  celebrated 
RegiomoQtanus,  between  whcnm  and  Purbach  there  sub* 
sisted  the  strictest  friendship  and  union  of  studies  till  the 
death  of  the  latter.  These  two  laboured  together  to 
improve  every  branch  of  learning,  by  all  the  means  in  theif 
pow^r,  though  astronomy  seems  to  have  been  the  favourite 
of  both ;  and  had  not  the  immature  death  of  Purbach  pre-v 
vented  his  further  pursuits^  there  is  uo  doubt  but  that,  by 
their  joint  industry,  astronomy  would  have  been  carried  to 
very  great  perfection.  That  this  is  not  merely  surmise, 
may  be  learnt  from  those  improvements  which  Purbach 
actually  did  make,  to  render  the  study  of  it  mo.re  easy 
and  pvactieable.  His  first  essay  was,  to  amend  the  Latin 
translation  of  Ptolemy's  Almagest,  which  had  been  made 
from  the  Arabic  version :  this  he  did,  not  by  the  help  of 
the  Greek  text,  for  he  Wfis  unacquainted  with  that  language, 
but  by  drawing  the  most  probable  conjectures  from  a  strict 
attention  to  the  sense  of  the  author. 

He  then  proceeded  to  other  works,  and  among  them^ 
he  wrote  a  tract,  which  he  entitled  ^' An  Introduction  to 
Artthmetic ;"  then  a  treatise  on  ^'  Gnomonics,  or  Dialling,^* 
with  tables  suited  to  the  difference  of  climates  or  lati^ 
tudes;  likewise  a  small  tract  concerning  the  ^^  Altitudes  of 
the  Sun,''  with  a  table ;  abo,  ^<  Astrolabic  Canons/'  with 
a. table  of  the  parallels,  proportioned  to  every  degree  of 
the  equinoctial.  After  this  be  constructed  Solid  Spheres, 
or  Celestial  Globes,  and  composed  a  new  table  of  fixed 
stars,  adding  the  longitude  by  which  every  star,  since  the 
time  of  Ptolemy,  had  increased.  He  likewise  invented 
various  other  instruments,  among  which  was  the  gnomon, 
or  geometrical  square,  with  canons  and  a  table  for  the  use 
of  it. 

He  not  only  collected  the  various  tables  of  the  primum 
mobile,  but  added  new  ones.  He  made  very  great  im- 
provements in  trigonometry,  and  by  introducing  the  table 
of  sines,  by  a  decimal  division  of  the  radius,  he  quite 
changed  the  appearance  of  that  science ;  be  supposed  tbe 
radius  to  be  divided  into  600,000  equal  parts,  and  computed 
tbe  sines  of  the  arcs,  for  every  ten  minutes,  in  such  equal 


iSO  P  U  R  B  A  C  H* 

parts  of  the  radius,  by  the  decimal  notation,  instead  oitiHl^ 
duodeoiqaal  one  delivered  by  the  Greeks,  and  preserved 
even   by  the  Arabians  till  our  author's  time;  a  project 
which  was  completed  by  his  friend  Regiomontanus,  who 
computed  the  sines  to  every  minute  of  the  quadrant,  in- 
l,000,OOOth  parts  of  the  radius. 

Having  prepared  the  tables  of  the  fixed  stars,  he  next 
undertook  to  reform  those  of  the  planets,  and  constructed 
some  entirely  new  ones.  Having  finished  his. tables,  he 
wrote  a  kind  of  perpetual  almanack,  but  chiefly  for  the 
moon,  answering  to  the  periods  of  Meton  and  Calippus ; 
also  an  almanadc  for  the  planets,  or,  as  Regiomontanus 
afterwards  called  it,  an  Epfaemeris,  for  many  years.  But 
observing  there  were  some  planets  in  the  heavens  at  a  great 
distance  from  the  places  where  they  were  described  to  be- 
in  the  tables,  particularly  the  sun  and  moon  (the  eclipse* 
of  which  were  observed  frequently  to  happen  very  different 
from  the  times  predicted),  he  applied  himself  to  construct 
new  tables,  particularly  adapted  to  eclipses ;  which  were 
long  after  famous  for  their  exactness.  To  the  same  time 
may  be  referred  his  finishing  that  celebrated  work,  entitled 
"  A  New  Theory  of  the  Planets,"  which  Regiomonunus 
afterwards  published,  the  fiirst  of  all  the  works  executed  at 
bis  new  printing-house.' 

PURCELL  (Henry),  an  eminent  musician,  was  son  of 
Henry  Purcell,  and  nephew  of  Thomas  Porcell,  both  gen- 
tlemen of  the  Royal  Chapel  at  the  restoration  of  Charles  II. 
and  born  in  1658.  Who  his  first  instructors  were  is  not 
clearly  ascertained,  as  he  was  only  six  years  old  when  i»s 
father  died ;  but  the  inscription  on  Blow's  monument,  in 
which  Blow  is  called  his  master,  gives  at  least  room  to  sup- 
pose that  Purcell,  upon  quitting  the  chapel,  might,  for 
the  purpose  of  completing  his  studies,  beccHpe  the  pupil 
of  Blow.  Dr.  Burney  is  inclined  to  think  that  he  might 
have  been  qualified  for  a  chorister  by  Capt.  Cook.  How- 
ever this  be,  Purcell  shone  earlv  in  the  science  of.  musical 
composition  ;  and  was  able  to  write  correct  harmony  at  an 
age  when  to  perform  choral  service  is  all  that  can  be  ex- 
pected. In  1676,  he  was  appointed  organist  of  Westmin- 
ster,'though  then  but  eighteen;  and,  in  1 682,  became 
one  of  the  organists  of  the  chapel  royal. 

In  1683,  he  published  twelve  sonatas*  for  two  violins,  and 
a  bass  for  the  organ  and' harpsichord  ;  in  the  preface  lo 

1  Moreri.— Hutton^s  Dict.«-ThomsoD*s  Hist,  of  the  Royal  Society. 


P  U H  C  E  L  Lv  S*i 

W^ch  be  tells  us,  that  **  be  has  faitbfally  endeavoured  a 
jost  imitaticm.of  the  most  famed  Italian  masters,  principallj 
to  bring  the  seriousness  and  gravity  of  that  sort  of  music 
ilito  vogue  and  reputation  among  our  countrymen,  whose 
humour  it  is  time  now  should  begin  to  loath  the  levity  and 
balladry  of  our  neighbours/'  From  the  structure  of  these 
compositions  of  Purcell,  it  is  not  improbable  that  the  so- 
natas'of  Bassani,  and  pethaps  other  Italians,  were  the  mo- 
dels after  which  he  formed  them ;  for  as  to  Corelli,  it  is  not 
clear  that  any  thing  of  his  had  been*  seen  so  early  as  168:;^^ 
Before  the  work  is  a  very  fine  print  of  the  author,  his  age 
twenty-four,  without  the  name  of  either  painter  or  eti- 
graver,  but  so  little  like  that  prefixed  to  the  ^^  Orpheus 
Britannicus,"  after  a  painting  of  Closterman,  at  thirty- 
seven,  that  tbey  hardly  seem  to  be  representations  of  the 
same  person. 

As  Purcell  had  received  bis  education  in  the  school  of  a 
choir,  she  natural  bent  ol^  his  studies  was  towards  churck 
music.  Services,  however,  he  seemed  to  neglect,  and  to 
eddict  himself  to  the  composition  of  Anthemis.  Ah  anthem 
of  bis,  '>  Blessed  are  they  that  fear  the  Lord,''  was  com- 
posed on  a  very  extraordinary  occasion.  Upon  the  preg- 
nancy of  James  the  Second's  queen,  supposed  or  real,  in 
1687,  proclamation  was  issued  fqr  a  thanksgiving;  and 
Pureell,  being  one  of  the  organists  of  the  Chapel  Royal, 
was  commanded  to  compose  the  anthem.  The  anthem, 
'^  They  that  go  down  to  the  sea  in  ships,"  was  likewise 
owing  to  a  singular  accident.  It  was  composed  at  the  re*- 
•quest  of  Mr.  Gostling,  subdean  of  St.  Paul's,  who,  being 
often  in 'musical  parties  with  the  king  and  the  duke  of 
York,  was  with  them  at  sea  when  tbey  were  in  great  danger 
of  being  cast  away,  but  providentially  escaped. 

Among  the  ^^  Letters  of  Tom  Brown  from  the  Dead  to  the 
Living,"  is  one  from  Dr.  Blow  to  Henry  Purcell,  in  which 
it  is  humourously  observed,  that  persons  of  their  profession 
are  subject  to  an  equal  attraction  from  the  church  and 
-the  play-house ;  and  are  therefore  in  a  situation  resembling 
tbat  of  Mahomet's  tomb,  which  is  said  to  be  suspended 
between  heaven  and  earth.  This  remark  so  truly  applies  to 
Purcell,  that  it  is  more  than  probable  that  his  particular  si- 
tuation gave  occasion  to  it ;  for  be  was  scarcely  known  to 
,the  world,  before  be  became,  in  the  exercise  of  his  calling, 
.to  equally  divided  between  both  the  church  and  the 
&beaire^  that  neither  could  properly  call  him  her  own.     In 


U9  P  U  R  C  E  L  L. 

»  pampbleC  entitled  ^  Roscius  AngKcftnun^-  oim  BUunAt^ 
View  of  the  Stage/'  written  by  Downes  the  promptary  and 
published  in  1708,  we  have  an  account  of  leveral  piaryi  and 
entertainmeutSy  the  mnsic  of  which  is  by  that  writer  said  to 
have  been  composed  by  Purcell. 

Jn  1691^  the  opera  of  '^Dioclesian"  was  published  by 
Porcell,  with  a  dedication  to  Cfaaries  duke  of  Somerset^  in 
which  he  observes,  that  *^  music.is  yet  but  in  its  o^&age,  a 
forward  child,  which  gives  hopes  of  what  he  may  be  bere^ 
after  in  England,  when  the  masters  of  it  shall  find  more  eti'^ 
«ouragement ;  and  that  it  is  now  leaning  Italian,  which  is 
its  best  master,  and  studying  a  little  of  the  French  air  to 
give  it  somewhat  more  of  gaiety  and  fashion."  The  unH* 
mited  powers,  says  Dr.  Burney,  of  this  musician's  genius 
embraced  every  species  of  composition  that  was  thea 
known,  with  equal  felicity.  In  writing  for  the  cbarob, 
whether  he  adhered  to  the  elaborate  and  learned  style  of 
his  great  predecessors  Tallis,  Bird,  and  Gibbons,  in  which 
BO  instrument  is  employed  but  the  organ,  and  the  several 
parts  are  constantly  moving  in  fugue,  imitation,  or  plain 
counterpoint ;  or,  giving  way  to  feeling  and  imaginatioa> 
adopted  the  new  and  more  expressive  style  of  which  he  was 
himself  one  of  the  principal  inventors,  accompanying  the 
voice-parts  with  instruments,  to  enrich  the  harmon}V  and 
enforce  the  melody  and  meaning  of  the  words,  be  mani- 
fested equal  abilities  and  resources.  In  compositions  for 
the  theatre^  though  the  colouring  and  effects  of  an  or^ 
cbestra  were  then  but  little  known,  yet  as  be  employed 
them  more  than  his  predecessors,  and  gave  to  the  voice  a 
melody  more  interesting  and  impassioned  than,  during  the 
seventeenth  century,  bad  been  heard  in  this  country,  or 
perhaps  in  Italy  itself,  be  soon  became  the  darling  andd^ 
light  of  the  nation.  And  in  the  several  pieces  of  chamber 
jQousic  which  he  attempted,  whether  sonatas  for  instrumentl, 
or  odes,  cantatas,  songs,  ballads,  and  catches,  for  (the 
voice,  he  so  far  surpassed  whatever  our  country  had  pro-* 
duced  or  imported  before,  that  all  other  musicsd  produo* 
tions  seem  to  have  been  instantly  consigaed  to  contempt  or 
oblivion. 

It  lias  been  extremely  unfortunate,  says  the  same  au- 
(thor,  for  our  national  taste  and)  our  national  honour,  that 
Orlando  Gibbons,  Pelham  Humphrey,  and  Henry  Parcel), 
our  three  best  composers  during  the  seventeenth  o^iHury, 
were  not  blest  with  sufficient  longevity  for  their  ge&ius  to 


F  U  R  C  E  L  L.  S8S 

expand  in  all  its  branches,  or  to  form  a  school^  whidh  would 
faave  enabled  us  to  proceed  in  the  cultivation  of  music 
without  foreign  assistance,  Orlando  Gibbons  died  162 5, 
at  forty-foun  Pelbaoi.  Humphrey  died  1674,  at  twenty^ 
seven;  and  Henry  Purceli  died  1695,  at  thirty -seven. 
If  these  admirable  composers  had  been  blest  with  long 
life,  we  might  have  had  a  music  of  our  own,  at  least  as 
good  as  that  of  France  or  Germany ;  which,  Without  the 
assistance  of  the  Italians,  has  long  been  admired  and  pre« 
ferred  to  all  others  by  the  natives  at  large,  though  their 
princes  have  usually  foreigners  in  their  service.  As  it  is^ 
we  have  no  school. for  compoaitioa,  iia  well-digested  me^ 
tbod  of  study,  nor,  indeed,  qiodels  of  our  own*  Instru^ 
mental  music,  therefore,  has  never  gained  much  by  ouic 
own  abilities ;  for  though  some  natives  of  England  have 
had  bands  sufficient  to  execute  the  productions  of  th^ 
greatest  masters  on  the  continent,  they  have  produced  but 
little  of  their  own  that  has  been  much  esteemed.  .  HandelV 
compositions  for  the  organ  and  harpsichord,  with  those  of 
3carl»tti  and  Albert!,  were  our  chief  practice  and  delight 
for  more  than  fifty  years ;  while  those  of  Corelli,  Geminianijr 
Albinoni,  Vivaldi,  Tessarini,  Veracini,  and  Tartini,  till 
the  arrival  of  Giardini,  supplied  all  our  wants  on  the  violin^ 
during  a  still  longer  period.  And  as  for  the  hautbois^ 
Martini  and  Fisher,  with  their  scholars  and  imitators,  are 
all  that  we  have  listened  to  with  pleasure.  If  a  parallel 
were  to.  be  drawn  between  Purceli  and  any  popular  com- 
poser of  a  different  country,  reasons  might  be  assigned  for 
au{^osing  him  superior  to  every  grea4  and  favourite  contem- 
porary musician  in  Europe. 

Purceli  died  Nov.  21,  1695,  of  a  consumption  or  lin- 
gering distemper,  as  it  should  seem;  for  his  will,  dated 
the  1st,  recites,  that  he  was  then  '^very  ill  in  constitution, 
but  of  sound  mind ;"'  and  his  premature  death,  at  the  early 
age  of  thirty-seven,  was  a  severe  affliction  to  the  lovers  of 
his  art.  His  friends,  in  conjunction  with  his  widow,*  for 
whom  and  his  children  he  had  not  been  able  to  make  any 
great  provision,  were  anxious  to  raise  a  monument  of  his 
fame  ;  for  which  end  they  selected,  chiefly  from  his  com- 
positions for  the  theatre,  such  songs  as  had  been  most  fa« 
Vourably  received,  and,  by  the  help  of  a  subscription  of 
twenty  shillings  each  person,  published,  in  1698^  that  well* 
known  work,  the  <*  Orpheus  Britannicus,''  with  a  dedica- 


884  P  U  R  C  £  L  h 

tion  to  bis  good  friend  and  patroneM  lady  H<i#Krd,  mh^' 
bad  been  bis  scholar^ 

He  was  interred  in  Westminster^abbey,  and  on  a  tablet 
fixled  to  a  pillar  is  the  following  remarkable  inscription  s 

"Here  lies 
>    Hbvrt  P0hcbll>  Escj. 
who  left  this  life, 
and  is  jgone  to  that  blessed  plaoe^ 
w&re  only  his  harmony 
can  be  exceeded. 
Obiit  21mo  die  Novembris^      >      -      * 
anno  tetatis  sus  STmo^ 
annoque  Domini  10^."  i 

PURCHAS  (Samuel),  a  learned  English  divine,  and 
Compiler  of  a  valuable  collection  of  voyages,  was  born  at 
Hiaxstead  in  Essex  in  1577,  and  educated  at  St  Jofan^s 
college,  Cambridge,  where  be  took'  his  uiaster*s  degree  in 
1600,  and  afterwards  that  of  bachelor  of  divinity.  In 
1604  he  was  instituted  to  the  vicarage  of  Eastwood  in  Es- 
sex ;  hot,  leaving  the  cure  of  it  to  his  brother,  went  and 
lived  in  London,  the  better  to  carry  on  the  great  work  he 
bad  undertaken.  He  published  the  first  volume  in  I615| 
and  the  fifth  in  1625,  under  this  title,  *^  Purchas  bis  Pil- 
grimage, or  Relations  of  the  World,  and  the  Religions  ob- 
served in  all  ages  and  places  discovered  from  the  Creation 
unto  this  present.''  In  1615,  he  was  incorporated  at  Ox- 
ford, as  he  stood  at  Cambridge,  bachelor  of  divinity  ;  and 
a  little  before,  had  been  collated  to  the  rectory  of  St.  Mar- 
tin's Ludgate,  in  London.  He  was  chaplain  to  Abbot, 
archbishop  of  Canterbtiry,  and  had  also  the  promise  of  a 
deanery  from  Charles  I.  which  be  did  not  live  tq  enjoy  *. 
His  pilgrimages,  and  the  learned  Hackluy  t's  Voyages,  led 

*  It  has  been  said  that,  by  the  pub-  likewise  left  foar  orphan  and  belpleta 

lishiug  of  his  books,  he  brought  liioi-  childieii,  and  the  arrangement  of  his 

self  into  debt,  and  that  he  died  in  pri-  affair:*,  to  our  auth6r,  who  8ay«»  in  his 

son.    This  last  is  certainl.?  untrue*  as  quaint  way,  that  ihia  brother's  *'  iatan* 

be  died  in  bis  own  boose  is  1628.    It  is  gled  booke-estate  perplexed  me  in  a 

not  improbable  that  he  might  be  a  suf-  new  kind  of  bookishoess,  with  hetero- 

ferer  by  the  expenee  of  printing  his  gean  toH  of  body,  and  uaacquaiated 

books,  hot  his  debts  are  to  be  referred  vexations  of  mind,   to  pay  maoiibld- 

to  a  more  honourable  cause,  the  kind-  debts,"  5cc.  These  circumstances  may 

ness  of  his  disposition.     In  1618   his  account  for  the  embarrassmeols  of  this 

biother-io  law,  William  Pridmore,  died,  good  and  pbus  mail  (for  sucb  he  waa ) 

and  left  to  him  the  care  of  the  widow  and  in  addition  to  his  other  afflictions^ 

and  her  family  ;  and  in  the  same  year  he  mentions  the  death  of  his  mother 

his  brother  Daniel  Purchas  died,  who  and  of  a  beloved  daagbttr,  in  1619« 

1  Hawkins  and  Bumey's  Hist,  of  Music— And  Dr.  Barney  io  Reeg'g  Cyclopsa* 
^ia.— Seward's  Biograpbiana. 


P  V  n  C  tt  A  S.  Hi 

tlie  fisjr  to  all  other  collectioiis  of  that  kind;  and  faairebeen 
justly  valued  and  esteemed.  Boissard,  a  learned  foreigtrtyr^ 
has  given  a  great  character  of  Purcbas :  Ue^  styles  him  *'  a 
man  e^tquisitely  skilled  in  languages,  and  all  arts  divine 
and  human ;  a  very  great  philosopher,  historian,  and  di« 
vine ;  a  faithful  presbyter  of  thS  church  of  England  ; .  very* 
famous  for  many  excellent  writings,  and  especially  for  hi& 

.  vast  volumes  of  the  East  and  West  Indies,  written  in  hia  na- 
tive tongue/'  His  other  works  are,  *'  Purchas  his  Pilgrim  or 
Microcosmos,  or  The  Historic  of  Man,''  1627^  8vo,  a  se-^ 
ries  of  meditations  upon  man  at  all  ages  and  in  all  stations,, 
founded  on  Psalm  xxxix.  5.  In  the  address  to  the  reader 
are  a  few  particulars  of  himself  and  family,  which  we  have 
extracted.  Ha  published  also  ^^  The  King's  Tower  and 
Triumphal  Arch  of  London,"  1623,  8vo  ;  and  "  A  Funeral 
Sermpn  on  Psalm  xxx.  5."  is  attributed  to  him,,  if  it  be 
not  mistaken  for  ^he  Microcosmos.  His  son,  JSamuel^ 
published  <<  A  Theatre  to  Political  flying  Insects,"  1657, 
4to.     His  Voyages  now  sell  at  a  vast  price.  ^  . 

PURVER  (Antony))  one  of  the  religious  society  called 
Quakers,  was  born  at  Up*Husborn,  Hants,  about  the 
year  1702.  When  he  was  about  ten  years  of  age,  he  was 
put  to  school  to  learn  to  read  and  write,  and  to  be  in- 
structed in  the  rudiments  of  arithmetic.  Duriug.  the,  time 
allotted  for  these  acquisitions^  be  gave  proof  of  extraordi-* 
nary  genius ;  and  being  prevented  for  about  six  weeks,  by 
illness,  from  attending  the  school^  he  still  applied  himself 
to  his  learning,  and  on  his  return  to  the  school  .had  got  so 
far  in  arithmetic,  as  to  be, able  to  explain,  the  , square  and 
Cube .  roots  to  his  master ;  who  himself  was  ignorant  of 
them.  His  memory  at  this  time  appears  to  have  been  uo** 
iQommonly  vigorous,  for  he  is  said  not  only,  to  have  asserted 
that  he  could  commit  to  memory  in  twelve  houirs,  as  many 
of  the  loQgest  chapters  in  the  Bible,  but  to  have  attempted 
it  with  success. .  Another  account  says,  quoting  it  from 
Purver's  own  mouthy  that  he  so  delighted  in  reading  the 
Scriptures,  as  to  commit  six  chapters  to  memory,  in  one 
houn 

He  was  appnanticed  to.  a.  ^hoeitiaker,  who,  like  thd  mas« 
ter  of  George  Fox,  mentioned  in^this  work,  employed  bis 
apprentice  ip  keeping  s^heep*    This  gave  our  young  stu-» 

^  deut  leisure  for  reading ;.  aud  he  occupied  it  in  the  indis-« 

1  Wood's  Fasti,  wiU  I.— Ifioj.  BriLi^NGensura  Lit.  vo^  IV* 

Vol.  tXY.  C  c 


UC  '  P  U  K  V  I IL 

erisBinste  perssal  of  such  .booio.  as  came  ioto  bit  fau^; 
Vut  the  iScriptorei  bad  the  |>refereBee  in  his  mind* 
Among  other  boeks':vtbicfa  came  is  his  way,. was  one  written 
by  Samuel  Fisfadr^  a^Qwdcer^  eodtlied  <f  Rvsticusad  Aca* 
deanicos,*'  an  winch,  uomit  tnaccpcacies  in  the  translation  of 
the  Bible  boing  pointed  oat,  Paivcr  detennined  to  eaEaznine 
for  faimsetf ;  and,  wkb  the  assistance  of  a  Jew,  soon  ac- 
quired a  knowledge  of  the  Heboew  language.  About  the 
dOtb  year  ol  bis  age  he  kept  a  school  in  his  native  cpuntry; 
but  afterwards,  for  the  sAe  of  ooore  easily  acqutrzng  the 
means  of  prosecntiiig  lus  stndiesi  he  came  to  London, 
where  he  probably  xesided  when  he  pabliriied,  an  1727,  a 
book  called  *<  The  Youth's  I>elighL"  Tte  ean^e  year  he 
Mtvrned  to  his  native  place,  and  a  seoonid  time  opened  a 
scbool  there ;  but, previous  to  this,  in  Londotiy  he  bad  em* 
braced  the  principles,  and  adopted  the  profession  of  the 
Quakers.  >  He  is  said  to  have  been  convinoed  of  the  truth 
of  their  ^netsat  a  nieeting  held  at  the  Bull  and  Mouth  in 
Aldersgate-streiet ;  whether  by  means  of  the  ppeacbing  of 
toy  of  their  ministers,  we  are  not  infonned ;  but  on  the 
day  month  ensoing,  be  himself  appeared  as  a  minister 
among  them,  at  the  same  meeting-house.  On  his  second 
settling  at  Husbovni  he  began  to  translate  the  books  of  thq 
Old  Testament ;  and  applied  himself  also  to  the  stody  of 
medicine  and  botany ;  bat,  believii^g  it  bis  duty  to  travel 
in  his  ministerial  function,  be  agaii)  quitted  bis  schoGil  and 
bis  native  place ;  not,  hov^ever,  probably,  until  after  be 
bad  resided  there  some  years ;  for  his  course  was  to  Lon- 
don, Essex,  and  tbroagb  several  xuimities  to  Bristol ;  near 
which  city,  at  Hambroek,  be  was  in  Ae  latter  part  of 
1938.  At  this  place  h^  took  up  bis  abode,  at  the  bouse  of 
one  Josiah  Butdber,  a  maltster,  whose  son  be  instructed 
in  the  classics,  and  there  he  translated  some  of  tbe  minor 
prophet9„  haring  before  completed  tbe  booik  pf  £stber|r 
and  Soion^on^s  Song.  Here  be  became  aoqnainted  with 
Racbael  Ootterel,  who,  with  a  sister,  kept  a  boarding* 
achooi  f^r  girls^  at  Fren^$bay,  'GlouoiBstershire  ;  and  wbomi 
in  1738,  he  married,  and  soon  after  himself  opened  a 
boarding-school  f<dr  boys  at  'Fpentchay.  During  his  resi- 
dence in  Glonoesteffshive,  (which  was  not  at  Frenchay  all 
the  time)  he  attempted  to  publish  bis  translation  of  the 
Old  Testament  in  npmbera  at  Bristol ;  but  be  did  not  meet 
with  sufficient  eqcouragementj  andi)nly  (wo  or  tl^r^enum* 
hers  were  published* 


P  U  R  V  E  IL  i%1 

t.  In  n58,  he  removed  to  Andover,  in  Rampsbke;  and 
here,  in  1744^  be  completed  his  trannlation  of  all  the  books 
of  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  a  work  whioti  has  not 
bfteo  been  accomplished  before  by  the  labour  of  a  single 
individual.  It  consists  of  two  volumes,  folio,  published  in 
1764,  at  the  prioe  of  four  guineas.  It  appears,  that  thia 
work  was  originally  intended  to  be  printed  in  occasional 
numbers ;  for,  in  1746,  the  late  Dr.  Fothergill  wrote  a 
letter  to  the  Gentleman's  Magazine,  in  which  he  strongly 
recommended  the  author  of  a  work  then  under  publication^ 
whicti  wsKs  ^O'be  continued  in  numbers  if  it  should  meet 
with  encouragement.  This  was  a  translation  of  the  Scrips 
^ures,  under  the  title  of  *'  Opus  in  sacra  Biblia  elabora^ 
turn.**  Purver  is  not  named,  but  that  he  was  intended  is 
known  by  private  testimony.  After  speaking  in  high  terms 
of  his  learning.  Dr.  Fothergill  says,'  **  As  to  his  personal 
character,  be  is  a  man  of  great  simplicity  of  manners, 
regular  conduct,  and  a  modest  reserve  ;  he  is  steadily  at-^ 
tentive  to  truth,  hates  falsehood,  and  has  an  uncon^era^ 
Ue  aversion  to  vice ;  and  to  crown  the  portrait,  he  is  not 
only  greatly  benevolent  to  mankind,  but  has  a  lively  sense 
of  the  divine  attributes,  and  a  profound  reverence  of,  and 
submission  to  the  Supreme  Being.*'  The  mode  of  publi- 
cation in  numbers  was  probably  unsuccessful,  and  soon' 
dropped ;  yet  be  went  on  with  his  translation,  which  he 
completed,  after  the  labour  of  thirty  years.  He  was  still 
tinable  to  publish  it,  nor  could  be  find  a  bookseller  who 
would  run  the  hazard  of  assisting  him.  At  length  his 
friend  Dr.  Fothergill  generously  interfered ;  gave  him  a^ 
thousand  pounds  for  the  copy,  and  published  it  at  his  own 
expence.  Purver  afterwards  revised  tlie  whole,  and  made 
considerable  alterations  and  corrections  for  a  second  edi- 
tion, which  has  not  yet  appeared ;  but  the  MB.  remains  in 
the  hands  of  his  grandson.  Purvei*  appears,  in  tht«  great 
vrork,  a  strenuous  advocate  for  the  antiquity,  and  even  the 
divine  authority,  of  the  Hebrew  vowel  points.  He  is  also 
a  warm  assertor  of  the  purity  and  integrity  of  the  Hebrew 
text,  and  treats  those  who  hold  the  contrary  opinion  with 
great  contempt;  particularly  Dr.  Kennicott,  of  whom, 
and  his  publication  on  the  state  of  the  Hebrew  te^t,  he 
never  speaks  but  with  the  greatest  asperity.  He  has  taken 
V^ry  considerable  pains  with  the  scriptural  chronology,  and 
furnishes  his  reader  with  a  variety  of  chronological  ^tables. 
He  prefers  the  Hebrei^  chronology  in  all  cases^  to  the 

cc2 


^f 


588  P  U  R  V  E  R-' 

Samaritan  and  Greek,  and  has  throughout  endeavoured  ta 
connect  sacred  and  profane  history.  His  version  is  very 
literal,  but  does  not  always  prove  the  judgotent  or  good 
taste  of  the  author.  Thus,  he  says,  that  "  The  Spirit  of 
Cod  hovered  a  top  of  the  waters  ;'^  and  instead  of  the  ma^ 
jestic  simplicity  and  unaffected  grandeur  of  **  Let  there  be 
light,  and  there  was  light,^'  he  gives  us,  *^  Let  there  be 
light,  which  there  was  accordingly,^*  Thus  bis  translation, 
though  a  prodigious  work  for  an  individual,  will  rather  be 
used  for  occasional  consultation  than  regular  perusal  ;  and 
though  it  may  afford  many  useful  hints,  will  not  supply  the 
place  of  the  established  translation. 

.  It  is  to  be  recollected,  that  Purver  was  a  Quaker;  and, 
believing,  as  be  did,in  their  leading  principle  of  inimediate 
revelation,  it  was  likely  that  his  mind  should  be  tutned  td 
look  for  such  assistance,  on  places  to  which  he  found  his  own 
knowledge  inadequate.  He  is  said^  accordingly,  when  he 
came  to  passages  which  were  difficult  to  adapt  to  the  con* 
text,  not  unfrequently  to  reiire  into  a  room  alone,  and 
there  to  wait  for  light  upon  the  passage  in  question  ;  and  oa 
these  occasions  he  so  far  neglected  the  care  of  his  body,  as 
sooietimes  to  sit  alone  two  or  three  days  and  nightsw' 
,  He  lived  to  about  the. age  of  seventy-five,  bis  decease, 
being  in  1777,  at  Andover,  where,  in  the  burial-ground 
of  t^e  religious  society  with  which  he  had  professed,  his 
remains  were  interred.  His  widow  survived  him;  but  a 
son  and  a  daughter  died  before  their  parents.  Hannah,  the 
daughter,  had  been  married  to  Isaac  Bell,  of  London^  by 
whom  she  had  a  son,  named  John  Purver  Bell,  who  was 
brought  up  by  his  grandfather.* 

.  PUTEANUS  (Erycius),  in  Flemish  Vander  PuTTfiN,, 
and  in  French  Dupuy,  was  born  at  Venlo,  in  Guelderland, 
Nov.  4,  1574.  His  Christian  name  was  Henry.  He  stu- 
died the  classics  at  Dort,  philosophy  at  Cologne,  and  law^ 
at  Lpuvain,  under  the  celjcbrated  Lipsius,  with  whom  he 
formed  a  lasting  friendship.  He  afterwards,  in  pursuit  of 
knowledge,'  vi^ed  the  chief  academies  of  Italy,  and  heard; 
the  lectures  of"the  most  learned  professors.  He  remained 
some  months  at  Milan,  and  at  Padua,  where  John  Michael 
Pinelli  gave  him  an  apartment  in  his  house.  In  16Q1  he! 
accepted  the  professorship  of  rhetoric  at  Milan,  and  nearly, 
about  the  same  time,  was  nominated  historiographer  to  tbit 

>  Preaedmg  edition  of  tbit  Diet,  from  priyatocommttiucation.  .  , 


P  U  T  E  A  N  U  8.  389: 

luiig  of  Spain.'    Two  years  afterwards  he  was  boooared. 
with  the  diploma  of  a  Roman  citizen,  and  the  degree  of « 
doctor  of  laws.    These  flattering  marks  of  distinction  made 
him  resolve  to  settle  in  Italy;  and  in   1604  he  married 
Mary  Magdalen  Catherine  Turria,  of  a  considerable  family 
at  Milan,  a  very  advantageous  alliance.     But  notwithstand*; 
ing  bis  resolution,  he  could  not  resist  the  offer  made  to  him 
in  1 6Q6  to  succeed  the  now  deceased  Lipsius,  as,  professor, 
of  the  .belles  lettres  at  Louvain.     This  office  he  filled  for 
forty  years,  although  nether  with  the  same  success  or  the 
same  reputation  as  his  predecessor.     Puteatms  was  a  man. 
of  vast  reading,  but  of  little  judgmeivt.     He  was  well  ac«> 
quainted  with  the  manners  and  customs  of  the  ancieats, 
but  had  little  of  the  spirit  of  criticism  or  philosophy,  and. 
was  incapable  of  undertaking  any  work  :of  great  extent 
Every  year  he  published  some  small  volumes,  and  such  was 
bis  desire  to  increase  their  number  that  he  even  printed  a. 
volume  of  the  attestations  he  used  to  give  to  his  scholars.  • 
Still  he  was  allowed  to  have  accumulated  a  great  fund  of 
learning.     Bullart  says,  ''It  was  the  great  learning,  of  Pu- 
teanus,  which,  having  won  the  heart  of  Urban  VIII.  detern 
mined  that  great  pope. to  send  him  his  portrait  in  a  gold 
iloedal,  very  heavy,  with  some  copies  of  bis  works.     It  waS; 
that  same  learning,  which  engaged  cardinal  Frederic  Boc«: 
romeo  to  receive  him  into  his  palace,  when  he  returned  tOt 
Miian.     It  was  also  his  learning,^  which  made  him  tenderly, 
beloved  by  the  count  de  Fuentes,  governor  .of  Milan  ;  and^ 
afterwards  by  the  arcbduke  Albert,  who,  having  promoted 
him  to  Justus  Lipsius's  chair,  admitted  him  also  most  ho* 
nourably  into  the  number  of  his  counsellors.     Lastly,  it 
was  his  learning  which  made  him  so  much  esteemed  in  the> 
jchief  courts  of  Europe,    and  occasioned  almost  all  thc^ 
prtnces,  the  learned  men,  the  ambassadors  of  kings,  and 
the  generals  of  armies,  to  give  him  proofs  of  their  regard 
in  the  letters  they  wrote  to  him  ;  of  which  above  sixteen 
thousand  were  found  in  his  library,  all  ))laced  in  a  regular 
order.     He  had  the  glory  to  save  the  king  of  Poland's  life, 
by  explaining  an  enigmatical  writing  drawn  up  in  unknown 
characters,  which  no  man  could  read  or  understand,  and 
which  contained  the  scheme  of  a  conspiracy  against  that 
prince."     He  was  also,  in  his  private  character,  a  man  of 
piety,  of  an  obliging  disposition,  and  remarkable  not  only 
for  his  kindness  to  his  scholars,  but  for  many  good  offices 
to  his  countrymen  in  every  case  of  need*    The  archduke 


PUTEANUS. 

> 

Albert,  as  fioUart  notices,  Bominated'  hioi  one .  of  hiil 
counsellors,  aindeDtnisted  him  with  the  government  of  .tho' 
castle  of  Louvain.  He  died  at  Louvain  Sept  17,  1646,  iw 
tbe  sewnty-second  year  of  liis  age.  Nicolas  VemolflBaa^ 
pronounced  kis  fuoeval  oration,  and  his  life  Was  published 
by  Mikev  with  an  engmved  portrait. 
<  Tbe  works  of  this  author  are  divided  into  six  classes^ 
eloquence,  philology,  phyosopby,.  history,  politics^  and 
mathematics,  which,  according  to  Nioeron's  list,  amount 
to  98  articles,  or  volumes.  Those  on  philology  bat^e  been 
for  the  most  part  inserted  in  Grsvtas's  Antiquities.  Tbo 
ocbers  most  worthy  of  notice  in  tbe  o|Mnion  of  his  biogra-« 
ph^Sy  are,  1.  **De  nsn  fructuqne  Bibliothec»  .Ambrosia 
anaft^"  Milan,  1605^  8vo.  This  is  an  essay  on  the  use  ol 
public  libraries,  and  not  a  catalogue,  as  those  who  never 
jMiw  it  have  asserted.  It  was  afterwards  reprinted  in 
the  different  editious  of  his  ^^  Snada  Attica,  sive  orationes 
setect».^'  ^  <<  Comus,  sive  Pbagesiposia  Cimmeria,  de 
Tuxu  somnium,"  Louvain,  160^,  l2mo,  Antwerp,  1611,  and 
Oxford,  1634.  The  French  b«ive  a  translation  of  this  in 
considerable  demand,  under  the  title  of  ^*  Comus^  ou  ban* 
^i|et  dissoln  des  Cimmeriens."  3.  *^  Historise  insubriccs 
Mbrr  sex,  qui  irrupttones  Barbarorum  io  Italiam  continent,' 
alTMno  157  ad  annum  975.''  This  has  gone  through  several 
editions;  one' at  Lonvain,  1630,  folio,  another  at  Leipsic^ 
It  h  rather  superficial,  but  the  archduchess  Isabella  was  so 
mnicb  pleased  with  it  that  she  made  the  author  a  present  of 
^  gold  ehuin.  4.  ^*  Pietatis  tbaomgta  in  Protheom  Par« 
thetiicum  unios  libri  versum  et  nnius  versus  librum,  stella* 
mmnumeria  sive  formis  1Q22  variatum,'^  Antwerp,  1617, 
4to.  This  is  a  remarkable  sample  of  the  trifles  with  which 
asen  of  learning  amused  themselves  in  our  author*s  daysw 
Tbe  whole  is  a  repetition  under  different  forms  of  tbe  vcrs^ 
^  Tot  sibi  sunt  dotes,  Virgo,  quot  sidera  ceelo."  This  poor 
Terse  he  has  turned  and  twisted  1022  different  ways,  tbe 
tonmber  of  the  fixed  stars ;  but  James  Bernouilli  has  gravely 
told  us  that  it  i^dmits  of  no  less  thftn  3312  changes,  which^ 
$ft^r  all,  is  nothing  to  the  following  verse, 

^'  Crux>  tdSXj  fraus,  lis^  niars^  mors^  nox^  pus>  sox;^^  mala^  Styx>  vis.** 

for  this,  it  is  said,  admits  of  39,916,800  different  combina^ 
tions  !  5.  **  Bruma,  sive  cbimonopcegnion  de  iandibus  hie- 
mis,  ut  ea  potissimum  apud  Belgas,"  Munich,  1619,  8to, 
with  fine  engravings  by  Sadel^r,  which  cbpstitute  the  prior 


P  U  T  C  A  K  u  s.  nt 

fsipdi'iraiae  of  di»  w^Av  Sv'  ^*  0ireulai  «fl»an!kiifiiiy  stvd 
Knca  «^/ai{iit  oMtpeDclio  lietttripca/'  LoBvaiii,  i«92^  4tiii 
aliBQBt  ft  copy  <rf  that  of  Bergict  entitled  ^BMnfc  dii  jour,'* 
but  wtthouk  ftckooirledgtBent.  7^  ^  BelK  «t  Pacii  iiatef i,^ 
)03S,  4io.  in  dHs  lie  abdircfd  tiiiHself  ibIcMr  aooaainted 
witli  the  true  i««eresks  of  Ub  catbblio  mei^vatjv  tUa»  Arerf 
wlio  appKed  theniaelveB  foiid^  tb  itate  efiain ;  tet'  he  wtt 
breugfat  itite  aooBe  trouble  §cfi  ipeajkifig  ^itlir  too  anlch  free^ 
dom  of  things  wbkh  poBcy  ahooki  bafe^keptseetet.  H^ 
wfta  ordered  to  Brufesm  toezpbdn  bi^stntinem^  batctaie 
eS  with  honour*  Gaaper  Beerl^  |>obiMiedr «  violeet  MAtm 
iigaiiito  this  werk^  enticied  ^^' Anti^Piitesnutc"'  9^'^  AntipU' 
tcia  Bibliotheo»  pablicw  Lofaeienek/*  ijoa^Musf^  I«l9^  ^. 
aadiMuaUy  to bia foiiAd at  the en<of  theeatfatlogveof that 
library,^ 

PUTSC9IiUd  (EuA^)^  bom  at  Antamriy,  ab<t>^  1^ 
becanea celebrated  gnmmartan.  Hisfitmlly^ttrorig^iaaltj^ 
from  Augabonrg.  When  be  «<M  only  tWetit^f-oaey  be  p«b«^ 
lisbed  Saliust)  wiih  fragittenti  end  good  notta;  He  tfaea 
publiahed  tbecdebrated  cbHectibir  of  thirty-ebr^eimdem; 
grammarina^  tn  4toi  at  Haniitri  in  1 60i;  He  way  peeper- 
ing  other  learned  ^vorics^  and  bad  oKcited  a  g^n^al  expect 
Wdxm  firom  Us  knowledge  Mid  latent^  tifaen  be  'died  at 
Stade^  in  I  OMy  \nkn^  only  turenty'^atx  yeilua  of  agiel  * 

PUTTENBAM  (GfioMs),  an  Etfi^TUb  p0et  and  poieticall 
dntACf  flouriahed  in  the  rdgvi  of  ijueea  Ellnbeth«  Very 
Itttld  is  known  of  his  life,  and  ibr  diat  Micr  ure  «]%  in- 
debted to  Mr.  Hasleiirobdy  whose  i^aearcbes,  e«|aaUy  adbtt • 
rate  and  jedieiotit,  have  «&  freqiientiy  contrlbuotd  tor  iibm- 
trate  the  hiatoty  of  old  English  poetty.  By  AtMe,  Patne^ 
bam  was  called  Weh^Vj  but  hia  late  editxir  baa^  broilgta: 
aufiicient  proof  that  bis  name  wa^  George.  He  appeals 
to  have  been  born  some  time  between  i'5ft9r  and  1535. 
Aa  his  edocation  was  liberalv  it  may  be  presumed  that  bi^ 
parents  Were  not  aS  the  Ibwest  elasis.  He  was  edueited  alb 
Oxford,  but  in  what  coHege^  bow  )«H)g  be  resid^d^  or  wbe<- 
ther  be  took  a  degree,  rerfiaife  unaseeruined.  Wobd*  bad 
made  none  6f  tbi^e  disooireries  when  he  wrote  bill 
*<  Athense.''  His  career  at  court  might  c^omtinence  at  th6 
age  of  eighteeni  when  he  sought  to  gain  the  attebtion  of 

the  youthful  >ing  Edward  VL  by  an  Eclogue,  emided 

.  '  ■ 

1  Bio;.  UniT.  art  Dupay.-^Niceron,  vol.  XVIf. — ^Builart's  Acatdemie  des 
6cieiicet.-^FoppeQ  Bib).  Befs,— -8axirOaOimast.«»Baiikt  J\isefll6B«. 
•  Mvreri. 


SM  P  U  T  T  E  N  H  A  M. 

^  EljMoe;*^  He  made  one  ot  two  ^ors  on  tbe  continent^ 
and  proved  himself  neither  an  idle  nor  inattenttye  observer. 
He  visited  succestively  the  courts  of  France,  Spain,  and 
Italy,  and  was  at  the  Spa  nearly  about  the  year  1570.  It 
Is  not  improbable  that  he  had*  a  diplomatic  appolntiorient 
under  Henry  earl  of  Arundd,  an  old  eoartier^  who;,  mith 
the  queen's  licelice,  visited  Italy ;  as  he  describes  hnnself 
a  beholder  of  the  feast  given  by  the  dnehets  of  Parma,  t6 
this  nobleman,,  kt  the  conrt  of  Brussels.  His  return  was 
probably  early  after  the  abdve  period,  but  nothing'  can  be 
8ta;led  with  certainty.  It  may  however  ^le  infelrred  from 
bis  numerous  adulate^  versus  addressed  to  queen  EKssa^ 
beth^  before  the  time  of  publishing  his  **  Art  of  Poesie," 
ti^the  must  have  been  a  courtier  of  longstanding,  and  was 
then  one  of  her  gentlemen  pensioners. 

Of  all  his  numerous  pieces,  tbe'^' Art'  of  Pdesie,'*  and  the 
^'  Partheoiades,^'  are  the  only  ones  known  to  exist,  and  it 
seems  unaccountable  that  not  a  single  poem  by 'this  author 
found  a  place  in  those  misoellaneoos  and  fashionable  repo*- 
sitories,  the  "  Paradise  of  Dainty  Devices,''  or  **  England's 
Helicon*"  His  own  volume  however  proves  the' neglect  of 
the  age,  for  of  many  poems  noticed  as  the  avowed  pro- 
ductions of  some  of  our  best  writers,  we  have  no  other 
knowledge  than  the  scraps  there  in<^entally  preserved. 
His  ^' Partbeniades,"  lately  reprinted,  were  presented  to- 
queen  Elis&betb,  as  a  new  year's  gift,  probably  on  Jan.  1^ 
1579  ;  hit  ^^  Art  of  English  Poesie"  was  published  in  1589. 
Fr6m  ibis'iast.  work  it  appears  that  he  was  a  candid  but 
$eol£tttious  critic*  What  htsobservations  want  in  argsr 
ment  is  compensated  by  the  soundness  of  his  judgment ; 
and  his  conclusions,  notwithstanding  their  brevity,  are  just 
and  pertinent.  He  did  not  hastily  scan  his  author  to  in^^ 
dulge  in  an  untimely  sneer;  and  his  opinions  were  adopted 
by  contemporary  writers,  and  have  not  been  dissented  from 
by  modems;  Mr.  Gilchrist,  in  the  ^^  Centura  Lit."  has 
drawn  an  -able  and  comprehensive  character  of  this  work, 
as  ^^  on  many  accounts  one  of  the  most  curieus  and  enters 
taining,  and  intrinsically  one  of  the  most  valuable  books  of 
the  age  of  Elizabeth."  In  181 1  ^  Mr.  H^slewood  reprinted 
this  valuable  work  with  bis  usual  accuracy,  and  in  a  very 
elegant  form,  prefixing  some  account  of  the  author,  of 
which  we  have  availed  ourselves  in  the  present  sketch.  ^ 

1  Mr.  Haalewood's  edition. — Censura  tit.  vol.  I.  aqd  U.-<rWiUtoa's  Hist  q( 
PQe^7.r-»Qeat.  M»f .  vol.  LXXXfl.  Put  I.  f,  3^ 


P  U  Y.  M$ 

PUY  (Peter  Du),  a  learned  Freneb  historian^  was  the 
yoaoger  soii  of  Claude  Du  Puy,  an  eminent  French  law- 
yer, who  died  in  1594,  and  who  was  celebrated  by  all  the 
learned  of  bis  time  in  eloges,  published  collectively  under 
tba  title,  pf  ^^  Amplissimi  viri  Claudii  Puteani  Tumulus," 
Paris,  1607,  4to.  His  .son  was.  born  at  Agen,  Nov.  27, 
1582,  and  was  in  early  life  distinguished  for  bis.pro^ciency 
in  the  languages,  but  principally  for  his  knowledge  of  civil 
law.  and  history.  His  talents  produced  him  the  esteem  and 
friendship  of  the  president  De  Thou,  who  was  bis  relation, 
and  of  Nicholas  Rigaolt ;  and  he  was  concerned  in  the  pub** 
lication  of  those  editions  of  De.Thon,  which  appeared  in 
1620  and  1626.  When  that  great  work  met  with  oppo- 
Bents,  he  wrote,  in  concert  with  Rigault,  a  defence  of  it, 
entitled  **  Memoires  et  Instructions  pour  servir  a  justifier 
Pinnocence  de  messire  Franfois*Auguste  de  Thou,V  which 
was  reprinted  in  1734,  at  the  end  of  the  15tb  voliimeof 
the  French  edition  of  the  history*  Our  author .  was  ap- 
pointed successively  counsellor  to  the  king,  and  library^- 
keeper.  Having  accompanied  Thumeri  de  Boissise,  whom 
the  king  had  sent  on  a  political  mission  to  the  Netherlands 
and  to  Holland,  he  became  acquainted,  through  his  father's 
reputation,  with  the  learned  men  of  those  countries.  On 
his  return  he  was  employed  in  researches  respecting  the 
king's  rights,  and  iu  making  a  catalogue  of  the  charters* 
These  scarce  and  valuable,  papers  gave  him  so  extensive 
an  insight  into  every  thing  relative  to  the  French  history, 
tb&t  few  pemons  have  made  such  curious  discoveries  on  the 
subject.  .  He  was  also  employed  with  Messrs.  Lebret  and 
Delorme,  to  defend  his  majesty's  rights  over  the  three 
bishoprics  of  Metz,  Tonl,  and  Verdun,  and  produced  a 
great,  number  of  titles  and  memoirs  in  proof  of  those  rights. 
His  obliging  disposition  made  him  feel  interested  in  the 
labours  of  all  the  literati,  and  willing  to  communicate  to 
them  whatever  was  most  valuable,  in  a  vast  collection  of 
memorandums  and  observations,  which  he  bad  been  gather** 
ing  together  during  fifty  years.  He  died  at  Paris,  Decern^ 
ber  |4,  1651,  aged  69.  Among  his  numerous  works,  the 
French  c/itics  select  the  foUpwing  as  the  most  important : 
1.  **T,t9kit€  des; Droits  et  des  Libert^s  TEglise  Gallicane, 
avec  les  Preuves,"  1639,  3  vols,  folio.  In  this,  as  in  all  his 
works,  he  was  an  able  defender  of  the  rights  of  the  Gallican 
church,  in  opposition  to  the  encroachments  of  the  see  of 
jiomt.     In  1651  he  published  an  edition  of  the  *^  Proofs/' 


394  P  U  Y. 

in  2  Toh.  fo)to«  2«  ^  TVftitiis  concienmnt  Tbistom  de 
France^  aavoir  ta  condemnation  des  TecDfilierB,.rbi§t!OUEe  da 
ichistee  d'Avignon,  ct  quelques  proc&  arimiiiielsy*'  Pacit, 
1654,  4to.  3.  <^  Traits  de  la  Majority  denoa  roit  ct  du 
regewes  da  royaome,  are€  lea  preovesy''  Paris,  l€S9j  4ldu 
,4.  ^^Histoire  de*  phis  iUmstrea  Favoris  anciens  at  m^ 
denies/'  Leyd^fi)  1659,  4to  and  12ido.  In  this  cttiibda 
list  of  fiavourites,  be  baa  recorded  only  &ve  Frem^b*  He 
pisbiiahed  also  separate  treatises  on  the  rights  of  the  king  to 
the  protinces^  of  Bui^g^undy,  Artob,  Bretagne,  the  three 
'bishopries  before  mentioned^  Flanders,  &e«  &c«  tibe  tstlea 
of  which  it  would  be  uninteresting  to  repeat.  His  life  was 
•published  by  Nicholas  Rigault,  Paris,  1652,  4to,  ami  is  in- 
serted in  that  very  osd^al  ToluBue,  Bates's  <^  Vits  Selecto*^ 
ram  aliquot  yironim." 

peter  Du  Puy  bad  two  brothers ;  the  eldest  CaitiaTOK 
PHER,  was  also  a  friend  of  Tbuanusi  and  when  at  Rome,  had 
influence  enough  to  prerent  the  first  part  of  his  hislRHy 
from  being  put  on  the  list  of  prohibited  books;*'  He  wsis 
an  ecclesiastic,  had  obtained  some  promotion,  and  wooid 
Jiave  received  higher  marks  of  esteem  -  from  pope  Ut^ 
ban  VIII.  bad  be  i^ot  taken  part  with  bis  brothers  in  reaisi^ 
ing  the  usurpations  of  the  court  of  Rome,  i  He  is  the  author 
of  the  ^*  Perroniana,"  published  in  1669  by  Daillei  He 
died  in  1654.  The  other  brother,  James  Du  Puy,  who 
died  in  1656,  was  prior  of  St.  Saviour's,  and  tibrariatt  ta 
the  king,  and  assisted  his  brother  in  some  of  his  worlo*^  1>> 
the  royal  library  he  was  an  important  benefisctor,  be^ 
queatbing  to  it  bis  own  and  his^  bfotbex^s  collectioii^ 
amounting  to  9000  volumes  of  printed  books,  and  about 
300  manuscripts.  He  published  a  veiy  useful  list  of  the  Lati^ 
nized  names  in  Thuanua^  history,  at  Geneva,  in  16I4»  4ta^ 
which  was  reprinted  under  the  title  of  *^  Resolutio  ottvniuiii 
^ifficultatum,"  Ratisbon,  1 696*,  4to.  He  publi Aed  also  a 
catalogue  of  Thuanus*s  library,  and  an  improved  edidott  of 
**  Instructions  et  missives  des  Rois  de  France  et  de  leissa 
fimbassadeurs  au  Concile  de  Trent^,'*  Paris,  1654,  4to.* 
'  PUY  (Louis  Du),  perpetual  secretary  of  the  aokdehiy  of 
inscriptions  and  belles  lettres,  was  born  at  Bugey,  Nov.  3% 
1709,  of  an  ancient  family  that  bad  lost  its  titles  and  pro* 
perty  during  the  wars  of  the  league.  Although  the  eldeit 
of  twelve  children,  his  fatbdr  destined  him  for  the  ohoreb, 
and  he  studied  with  great  approbation  and  success  at  the 
college  of  Lyons,  and  had  so  much  distinguished  himself 

I  Bm>{^.  UniTeneUe^  art.  Dnpay. 


PUT.  MS 

tfet  when  this  timb  eanSe  tfcat  he  should  stady  theolAgy^ 
two  seminaries  disputed  which  dicmld  hsvte  hiBi%  His  own 
dctefminEtion  was  in  favour  of  that  of  die  Jesuits,  in  con- 
sequenoe  of  the  sup^ior  having  promised  to  retniis  a  p»rt  of 
kis  expences  in  order  that  be  might  be  able  to  jiwrehase 
lK»du.  At  th^  age  of  twenty^ix  he  went  to  Paris  t»  the 
seminary  of  Ti^nte-'Trois,  where  hd  b^cmne  sucdesiively 
ittttster  at  the  eonferences,  hbrariao,  and  second  superior. 
Whea  ha^had  finished  his  stndies,  he  wanted  die  necessary 
supplies  to  enable  him  to  travel  fttmi  one  diecese  to  ano^ 
thefy  amd  the  arefabisbop*  of  Lyons  havingjreftised  thts^  front 
avrish  to  keep  him  in  his  own  diocese,  Dii  Puy  r^sdved  to 
give  upaii  thoughts  of  the  chordi,  and  devote  hims^tti 
tb^  sccenc^s  anrd  belles-lettres.  He  now  sought,  the  ae<* 
i}iiaiolance  of  men  of  polite  Ufieratore,  and  particohrly  ob* 
taiifed  a  steady  finend  in  the  acadeimciaw  Fourmont,  whose 
house  was  die  rendezvous  of  aien  of  learning  and  learned 
fyreiga&at^  It  was  FonrtnoiM:  who  procured  fainx  the  edi« 
ton^ip  of  the  ^' Jomniai  des  Savans,*' which  he  according!  jr 
eondacted  for  thiviy  years,  and  contributed  mai^y  valuable 
papers  and  cridcisma  of  his  bwn.  His  knowledge  was  very 
variiaus;  be  knew  Hebrew,.  Greeks  and  mathematics,  so  as 
to  have  been  able  ta  make  a  figure  in  either,  had  he  de^ 
voted  faiinaelf  wholly  to  one  pursuit ^  but  'his  «eadirig  and 
stttdy  were  desultory^  and  it  was  said  of  him  in  mathematical 
language,  diat  he  was  the  mean  proportional  between  the 
academy  of  sciences  and  that  of  inscriptions.  Iti  1768  the 
juiiifce  de  Soubise  made  him  his  librarian,  a  situation  of 
course  much  to  his  liking,  and  which  he  filled  for  twenty 
years,  until  the  derangement  of  the  prince's  affairs  made 
bior  ihform^  a  bookseller  that  he  intended  to  part  with  his 
libraryv  Thas  came  like  a  clap  of  thunder  to  poor  Du  Puy, 
and  brought  on  a  strangury,  of  which,  after  seven  years  of 
sufiering,  he  died  ApiiT  10,  1795. 

He  was  admitted  in  1756  into  the  academy  of  inscrip* 
tioAs  and  belles-lettres,  was  appointed  sodn  after  perpetual 
secretary,  and  retained  the  employment  until  his  seventy-- 
second  yean  During  his  long  career  he  was  the  author  of 
many  dissertations,  &c.  which  are  likely  to  preserve  his 
name  in'  France.  Father  Brumoy  having  omitted  in  his 
*^Greek  Theatre"  the  plays  of  Sophocles,  Du  Pny  undertook 
to  supply  the  deficiency,  and  translated  that  author,  with 
notes  which  shewed  his  intimate  knowledge  of  the  origi- 
lial.     ^e  published  six  Volumes  of  the  ^^  Memoirs  of  the 


«»6  P  U  Y. 

ivcademy  of  ii}scrjf>tiona,"  toU.  36  ta  41,  and  Jcoinf>oaedr' 
according  to  custom,  the  eloges  of  seireral  of  bis  brethren* 
jLpiong  his  matheaiatical  works,  we  may  mention  *^  Obser-*^ 
vations  sur  les  infiniment  petits  et  les  principes  metaphy- 
siques  de  la  Geometrie  ;*'  and  an.  edition  of  Anthemius's 
fragment,  on  mechanic  paradoxes,  with  a  French  tran&latioa 
and  notes,  Paris,  1T77,  4to,  and  the  Greek  text  rectified 
from  four  MSS.  He.  gives  here  a  curious  explanation  of 
the  mirror  of  Archimedes,  a  subject,  faowever,<  which  our 
authority  says,  hast  been  handled*  in  a  superior  manner  by 
M.  Peyrard,  in  his  "  Miroir  ardent,"  Paris,  1807, 4to.* 

.  PUY-SEGUR  (James  de  Chastenet,  lord  o^,  lieute- 
nant-general under  Louis  XIIL  and  XIV.  was  of. a  noble 
family  in  Armagnae,  and  was  born  in  the  year  1600.  He 
is  one  of  those  Frenchmen  of  distinction  who  have  written 
memoirs  of  their  own  time,  from  which  so  abundant  mate- 
rials are  supplied  to  their  bisto|[y,  more  than  are  generally 
found  in  other  countries.'  His  memoirs  extend  from  1617  to 
1658.  They  were  first  published  at  Parts,  sind  at  Amster- 
dam in  1690,  under  the  inspection  of  Du  Ch£ne,  historio^* 
grapber  of  France,  in  2  vols.  12mo,  and  ace  now  repnb-^ 
iished.in  the  general  collection  of  memoirs*  The  life  of 
Puy-Segur  was  that  of  a  very  active  soldier.  He  entered 
into  the  army  in  1617,  and  served  forty- three  years  with-* 
out  intermission,  rising  gradually  to  the  rank  of  lieutenant** 
general.  In  1636,  the  Spaniards  having  attempted  to  pass 
the  Somme,  in  order  to  march  to  Paris,  Puy-Segur  was 
ordered  to  oppose  them  with  a  small  body  of  troops. ..  The 
general^  tbe  count  de  Soissons,  fearing  afterwards  that  he 
would  be  cut  off,  which  was  but  too  probilble,  setit  his  aid- 
de-camp  to  tell  him  that  he  might  retire  if  be  thought  pro- 
per. *^  Sir,"  replied  this  brave  officer,  }^  a  man  ordered 
upon  a  dangerous  service,  like, tbe  present,  has  no  opinion 
|o  form  about  it/  I  came  here  by  the.count^s  command, 
and  shall  not  retire  upon  his  permission  only.  If  be  would 
have  me  return,  he  must  command  it."  This  gallant  man 
is  said  to  have  been  at  one  hundred. and  twenty  sieges,  in 
which  there  was  an  actual  cannonade,  and  in  more  than 
thirty  battles  or  skirmishes,  yet  never  received  a  wound.  ' 
He  di6(|  in  1682,  at  his  own  castle  .of  Bemouiile,  near 
Gui^.  His  memoirs  are  written  with  boldness  and  truth  ; 
conlain  many  remarkable  occurrences,  in  which  be  wa^ 

'  ^^^S*  Uoiverselle,  art.  Dupuy. 


put.  ^  »9t 

personally  concerned ;  and  conclude  wi^. some  verj  usefnl 
military  instructions.  .  .  .  , 

;  His  son,  of  the  saaie  name,  Uns  bora  at  Paris  in  1655, 
entered  into,  the  army  under  his. father, ^ rose  to  the. pos^ 
of  commaader-in-x:hief  in  the  French  Netherlands,  and  ajb 
length  to  the '.still  more  important  one  of  a  marshal  of 
France.in  1734.  He  died  at  Paris  in  the  year  1743, ^at  the 
age  of  88.  He  was. author .  of.  a  work  "  On  the  Art  Mill-' 
tary,"  published  by  his  only  .son  James  Francis,  marquis,  of 
Chastenet,  wbodied-in  1782.  He  was  the  author  of.some 
political  works.  *  .  i 

t    PY£  (Henry  James),  a  late  English  poet,  was  descended 
from  a  very  ancient  and  respectable  £imily,  who  are  stated 
to  have  come  into  England  with  the  Conqueror,  and  settled 
at  a^place  called.the  Meerd  in  Herefordshire.  .His  greats 
great-^tandfather  was  auditor  of  the  exchequer  to  James  L 
His  son,  sir  Rpbert  Pye,  a  knight  also,  married  Anne,,  the 
eldest  daughter  of  ^ohn  Hampden,  the  patriot,  of  whom  tba 
subject  of  this  article  was  consequently  the  representativei 
by  the  female  line.     The  last  male  heir  Ictft  the  estate  inb 
Herefordshire,  and  the  name,  to  the  Trevors,  descended 
from  the  second,  daughter ;  but  sir  Robert  Pye  purchased 
Faringdon  in  Berkshire,  which  county  he  twice  represented 
in  Parliament.     Our  author's  father,  Henry  Pye,  esq.  wha 
occasionally  resided  there,  was  elected  no  less  than  five^ 
times,  without  opposition,  for.  the  same  county. 
.   Henry  James  Pye  was  born  in  Londou.in  1745,  and 
educated  at  home  under  a  private  :tutor  until  he  had  at-i 
tained  the  age  of  seventeen.  He  then  entered  a  gentleman, 
tomn^oner  of  Magdalen  college,  Oxford,  under  the  care  of 
Dr.  Richard  Scroup,  where  he  continued  four  years, .  and 
had  the  honorary  [degree  of,M.  A.  conferred  on  him  July  3,. 
176S.     In  1772,  at^the  installation  of  Lord  North,  be  was. 
Use  created  Doctor. of  Laws.    Within  ten  days  after  he 
came^of  age  bis  father  died  (March  2, 176,6),  at  Faringdon; 
aitd'Mr.  Pye  married,  in  the  same  year,  the  sister  of  Lieut. - 
col.  Hooke,'  a*hd  lived  chiefly  in  the  country,  making  only 
occasional  visits  .for.  a  few  weeks  to  London,  dividing  his 
time  between  his  studies,  the  duties  of  a.  magistrate^  and. 
the  diversions  of  the  .field,  to  which  he  was  remarkably  at- 
tached.   He  was  for  some  time  in  tlie  Berkshire  militia.    In 
1784  he  was  chosen  member  of  parliament  for  Bedsishire  }- 

*  Moreri.— Diet.  Hist. 


400  p  y  Ki 

of  taste  and  fancy,  and  the  writer  of  p43}ished  rersffic^fimtf 
while  the  great  interests  of  virtue  and  public  spirit  bavd 
Uniformly  been  countenanced  by  his  pen.' 
.  PYLE  (TiroMAS),  an  English  divine,  the  son  of  the  Rer^ 
John  Pyle,  rector  of  Stodey,  in  Norfolk,  was  born  there  ia 
1674,  and  is  said  by  Mr*  Masters' to  have  been  educated  at* 
Caius-college,  Cambridge ;  but  bis  name,  does  not  occur' 
in  the  printed  list  of  graduates.  About  1698,:  he  was  .e:»^ 
amined  for  ordination  by  Mr.  Whistoh  (at  that  time  chap- 
lain to  bishop  Moore),  who  says,  in  his  own  '^  Life,''  that 
V  Dr.  Sydall  and  Mr.  Pyle  were  the  best .  scholars  among 
the  many  candidates  whom  it  was  his  office  to  examine.'^ 
It  is  supposed  Mr.  Pyle  was  first  curate  of  Sn  Margaret's 
parish  in  King's  Lynn,  where  be  married  in  1701,  and  the" 
same  year  was  appointed  by  the  corporation  to  be  minister 
or  preacher  of  St.  Nicholas'^  chapel.  Between  the  years 
1708  and  1718  he  published  six  occasional  sermons,  chiefly 
in  defence  of  the  principles  of  the  Ilevolution,  and  the 
succession  of  the  Brunswick  family.  He  also  engaged  in  the 
Bangorian  controversy,  writing  two  pamphlets  in  vindica- 
tion of  bishop  Hoadly,  who  rewarded  him  with  a  prebend 
of  Salisbury,  and  a  residentiaryship  in  that  cathedfaL  /• 

His  sentiments  will  further  appear  by  hi'^  publishing  bi» 
'^Paraphrase  on  the  Acts,  and  all  the  Epistles,"  in  the' 
manner  of  Dr.  Clarke.  This  was  followed  by  bis  *^  Para<^ 
phrase  on  the  Revelation  of  St.  John,''  and  on  the  ^^  His<* 
torical  books  of  the  Old  Testament ;"  all  which,  compri-^ 
sing  what  was  thought  necessary  for  illustration,  within  a* 
^mall  compass,  and  in  a  plain  and  perspicuous  mannei^' 
were  much  recommended  and  much  read.  His  writings^ 
are  generally  characterised  by  perspicuity  and  manly 
i^ense,  rather  than  J^y  any  elevation  of  style;  yet  in  the 
delivery  of  his  sermons,  so  impressive  was  his  eiocution 
that,  both  in  the  metropolis  and  in  the  country,  he  was  one 
of  the  most  admired  preachers  of  his  time.  His  .dole  aim 
was  to  amend  or  improve  his  auditors.  For  this  purpose 
he  addressed  himself,  not .  to.  their  passions,  but  ta  their' 
understandings  and  consciences*  He  judiciously  preferred' 
a  plainness,  united  with  a  force  of  expressions  toali  affec--' 
tation  of  elegance  or  rhetorical  subUaHty,  and  delivered  bia 
discourses  wiih  so  just  and  animated  a  tone  of  yoice^  a» 
lieyer  failed  to  gain  universal  attention.  <  * 

» Gent.  Mag.  LXXXIII. 


P  Y  L  E.  40t 

Although  he  lived'  in  friendship  slild  iamfiiar  correspond-' 
ence  with  many  eminent  churchmen,  as  bishop  Hoadly, 
Dr.  Clarke,  Dr.  Sykes,  &c.  yet  he  remained  long  in  a  situ- 
ation of  comparative  obscurity.  This,  according  to  a  pas* 
sage  in  one  ef  archbishop  Herring's  letters  to  Mr.  Dun- 
comb,  was,  ^' in  some  measure,  owing  to  himself ;  for  that 
very  impetuosity  of  spirit  which,  under  proper  govern- 
ment, rcfnders  him  the  agreeable  creature  he  is,  has,  iti 
tome  circumstances  of  life,  got  the  better  of  him,  and 
hurt  his  views.*'  This  probably  alludes  to  his  being  hete- 
rodox with  respect  to  the  Trinity,  which  was  common 
with  most  of  the  divines  with  whom  he  associated.  He  con- 
tinued to  be  preacher  at  St.  Nicholas,  King's  Lynn,  tilt 
1732;  when  he  succeeded  to  the  vicarage  of  St.  Margaret,, 
which  he  held  till  1755.  Being  then  no  longer  capable  of 
discharging  the  duties  annexed  to  it,  he  gave  in  his  resig- 
nation, bbth  to  the  dean  and  chapter  of  Norwich,  and  also 
lb  the  mayor  and  corporation. of  Lynn,  early  in  the  sum- 
nder  of  that  year.  He  then  retired  to  SwafFham,  where  he 
iKed,  Dec.  31,  1756,  aged  eighty-two,  and  was  buried  in 
the  church  of  Lynn  AH  Saints. 

*  Many  years  after  his  death,  **  Sixty  Sermons  on  plain' 
and  practical  subjects,"  were  published  by  his  younger  son 
Philip,  in  3  vols.  1773 — 1783,  8vo,  and  "  Four  Sermons 
on  the  Good  Samaritan,  and  the  nature  of  Christ*^  king- 
dom," 1777.'  That  he  himself  bad  no  design  of  commit- 
ting them  to  the  press  is  somewhat  probable,  from  the  fol- 
lowing remarkable  circumstance,  which  proves  them  to  be 
his  genuine  o(&pring,  namely,  that  he  composed  them 
with  the  greatest  facility  and  expedition,  amidst  the  iii- 
terruptions  of  a  numerous 'surrounding  family.  Three  of 
his  sons  were  clergymen;  but  not  particularly  distinguished. 
The  youngest  son,  Philip,  who  died  in  1799,  published 
"One  hundred  and' twenty  popular  SeTmons,'*'4  vols.  8v6> 
among  which  are  some  of  bis  father^s.  ^ 
'  FYM  (John),  a  noted  republican  in  the  time  of  Charles 
I.  was  descended  of  a  good  family  in  Somersetshire,  and 
bom  in  1584.  In  his  fifteenth  year  he  entered  as  a  gentle- 
man-commoner of  Broadgate^s-hall,  nowPeUibroke-coUege, 
Oxford,  where  he  had  for  bis  tutor  Degory  Wheare,  but 
afipears  to  have  left  the  university  without  taking  a  degree, 
and,  as  Wood  supposes,  went  to  one  of  the:  inns  of  court 

>  Kicbote's  Bowy€r»  toU  IX.  p.  433.-^Rivbltr^^i  History  of  LynD. 

Vol.  XXV.  D  i> 


402  f  Y  U. 

He  a^peM9»  mdeeA,  ta  bav^  beea '  intended  for  |Naf>lic 
t^uaweli,  9S.  bet  ^nws  vctry  eiMrly  placed  as  a  derk  in  tjb<i 
oflbce  of  the  eicdbenlDer.     He  wa9  likewise  iiot  fa^r  advatce^ 
wlum  iie  waa  elee^ed  caembef  of  pafUaoifeni  for  Tatist^otek, 
io  the  re%n  ef  Jannes  I.     He  famfgrmlj  distingni^ed.  bimr 
aelif  jby  ihts  opposition  to  the  «ieasares  of  the  o«urt,  bpd^  in 
tbeseign  of  tliat  king  asd  of  bis  au6ces9<N'.     In  i€i2&im 
was  ottt  i>f  the  managers  of  4ke  articles  «if  ifHo^peaehmetif; 
dgadnsi;  the  dukeof  Bnckiogbaip^  and  in  1^-^^  Wougbt  iu^ 
the  House  of  Oonaniona  a.  cbs^rge  againist  Dx.  Jj^inwarin^ 
«bo  beU  some  doctrines  wbiQh  be  coinceived  ^  l^e  -eqwUy 
injuHooa  to  tbe  king  and  tbe  king^ioiaa.     He  wa^s  likf^ivi^e  a 
giieat  oppibnent  of  Armiaw^iisn),  being  hi«iself  4t|aicb«d  ^Hk 
Qakrinis&ie  principles.  In  16319,  b^^  witb  soForal  oth^i^r  CQi^'r 
QiDBers  and  lords,  beld  a  very  clo^e  cqrnespondenoe  H&tb 
tbe  trommissioners  sent  to  London  by  ihe  Sootcb  oove- 
Banters ;  and  in  tbe  parliament  vi^bicfa  met  April  18,  V640^ 
was  one  of  tbe  most;  active  and  leading  i^embers«     On  tbe 
oHeetiiig  of  tbe  next,  whicb  is  called  tbe  Long  Parliaasant^ 
he  made  an  elabora^  apeecb  concemiag  tbe  igrieraacefs  eC 
tbe  nation,  and  impeacbed  jdie  earl  of  Stiti^rd  of  bigj^ 
tveasoB,  at  mhoae  trial  be  w;ia  o<ne  ^f  tbe  managers  oi  |be 
House  of  ComfliofiB.     Hh  uacomoion  v^iolefice  led  tbe  king 
to  tbe  unhappy  meaaure  of  coming  to  t^e  parliament  hi 
person,  to  acdee  biiD  and  four  other  mea»berf(.     P)m^  hom^ 
ever,  condo^ied  firm  to  the  imeresjtia  <)f  tbe.pcarHameqv 
but  thought  it  necessary,  some  timie  befo«e  bis  deatb;^  Mk 
dvaw  ■!>  a  vindication  of  bis  eondnot,  whteh  kta«e#  ik 
domhtfol  vrbat  park  he  weujd  k^ve  takat^  had  he  Iknsid  ^ 
see  the  •serious  consequences  of  his/ei^rly  viokHSiee.    In  Non 
164.%  be  was  appointed  Itettteuanti  of  the  brdnan<>e^,  i^a4 
pflpotfablgr  wfxuld  have  riaen  to  igteoier  disMkctieii^  Ink  Im 
disd  at  Dei^rhouse,  Dec.  tt  faUmtHfegy  m^i  waa  iii^Bre^ 
\|dirk  great .  sdlemoirty  sn  Westmtnatev?  Bji^yi.    19$^  jlieft  0Bf^ 
veral  children  by  bis  lady,  whodh^Ni  i»  i69Q,  aM'ia  scM  to 
have  been  a  woman  'of  araseaiKtompiiflbfi^^ta  and.i^amiipg:^ 
Many  of  bis  speeches  >itwie  (li^nled  $epM0U^jk  UrA  wfl 
inaert^  in  the  a«itnals«and)bistorie9'ef4jhe:^mef.     r  -    ;• 

|t  ia  affiiwed  by  lord  Clartedon  aa4  iw>wi»;  <i^hags^  ^imtk 
he  died  in  gr«at  iMfaiem  of  that  biithaoatld  itisMse^  laaKed 
nwrbi$9p€dimd9Bus  4  tiia»  be;iwas;a  vevi)7 1^  apMta«l#^a  «mA 
that  none  Jmt  aaleot  fiBecd&mwe.a^hnijUN^  ^^hMn«. ,  ft^ 
Mr.  Stephen  Marshal,  in  the  sermon  preached  at  his  fune* 
ral^  affirms,  that  no  lesi'fh^  l^igbt  dodors  of  |»f»y^c,  of 


P  Y  ]Vt  46r 

ttosvkspected  i^ctgrlty^  and  aome  of  tbeio  strangers  to  Mr. 
Pym,  if  not  of  religion  different  from  biaiy  who  wera  pre- 
sent at  the  opening  of, his  body,  and  near  a  thousand  peo* 
pl,e,  w^o  s«^w  it,  wigre  witne^sea.  to  the  falaebood  of  the  jre* 
port  above  mentioned;  the  disease  of  wbifh  he  died,  being 
DO  pt^r  than  an  ioipo&tbume  in  his  boireh^  . 
,  Lord  Clarei>dpB  observes,  that  ^^bis  parts  were  rather 
l^cquir<^  by  .industry,  than  supplied  by  nature,  .or  adorned 
by  art;  but  tbajt,  besides  his  exact  knowledge  of  the  forms 
and  orders  of  the  House  of  Commoua,  be  bad  a  I'ery  comely 
find  grave  way  of  expressing  bimself>  with  great  volubility 
of  words  pat^ral  and  proper.  He  ugiderstood  likewise  the 
iemp^r  and  .affections  (^  the  kingdom  as  well  as  any  man^' 
and  had  observed  the  errors  and  aiistakes  in  government, 
%%d  l^pew  w^l  bow  to  msd^e  tbem  appear  greater  than. they 
were.  At  the  first  opening  of  the  Long  ParJiamenit,  though 
ll^  was  much  goiverned  in  private  desigaiag  by  Mr.  Uampdeii 
^^d  Mr.  Oliver  S.t.  John,  yet  he  seemed  .of  all  .roan  to  hare 
tjcke  greatest  influence  upon  the  House  of  Commons;  and 
was  at  tihat  time,  and  for  some  months  after^  the  most 
jp^^^lar  man  in  ttliat  «r  any  otber  ^q.  Upon  the  first  de« 
aigi^  of  ;SQ(tQeing  and  obliging  Uie  most  powerful  person^ 
)a  both  £l0uses,  wben  be  received  tbe  king's  p^romise  for 
tUe  cbafUcellorsbip  of  tbe  exchequer,  he.rpade  in  retui^n  a 
m^it^ble  profesaion  of  bis  service.to  bis  laajesty.;  and  there* 
^f^W9  tbe  other  boing  no  secret,  declined  feoai^that  sharps 
l)es^  ID  the  Hquso,  wbicb  was  more  popular  than  any  man's, 
JM^d  aymde  .some  overtures  .t^  provide  for  the  glory  and 
ftptendoiir  of  tbe  crown;  iii  vnbicb  be  iuaui  so  ill  success, 
jtbitt  bis  iute^it  and  j^puu^tion  inhere  visib^  ^ated,  and 
be  found,  that  be  was  much  n^ore  able  to  do.  hurt  than 
fffiod ;  whiah.  wi'QAigbt  x^evy  much  ^poiaibim^o  melancholy, 
|iod  complaiott  of  the  violence  ami  disoomposure  <if  tb# 
PiWf^Wj^  affections  .i»nd  incUfMipfis,  In  the  prosecution 
i^ilbe.^iNrl  of  SuTifford,  bi»  oai^iage;wd  language  was  sueb, 
a^jf»¥pri¥s^d  «ivi»ii' per^Qoal  jmimtotity;  and  be  was  ao 
iHi#ed  pf  itav^Pg  4>cftatiaed  some  acts  in  it  unwortfay  of  a 
gpod  mifi ;  whiish,  if  true^  might  make  many  otb^  things, 
f)^  wfiffs  co«6deatly  repiorted  afterwacds  of  bim,  to  be 
bieiieved ;  ^  thi^.be  received. a  gveitt  .911m  of  money  firom 
tJm  Frmab  simb^$Ador>  .to  bioictor  iihe  ^trj^^spartation  qf 
those  iregiments  of  Ireland  into  Flanders,  upon  the  dis- 
l^ftiiding  that  army  there,  wbicb  had  been  prepared  by  tb^ 
«arl  of  Strafford  lor  tbe  business  of  Scotland ;  in  which,  if 

J)  0  S 


404  P  Y  M. 

his  majesty^s  directions  and  commands  bad  not  been  di* 
verted  and  contradicted  by  both  Houses,  many  believed, 
that  the  rebellion  in  Ireland  had  not  happened.  From  the 
time  of  bis  being  accused  of  high  treason  by  the  king,  he 
opposed  all  overtures  of  peace  and  accommodation  ;  and 
when  the  earl  of  Essex  was  disposed,  in  the  summer  of 
]  643,  to  a  treaty,  his  power  and  dexterity  wholly  changed 
the  earl's  inclinaiion  in  that  point.  He  was  aUo  wondef'^, 
fully  solicitous  for  the  Scots  coming-in  to  the  assistance 
of  the  parliament.  In  short,  his  power  of  doing  shrewd 
turns  was  extraordinary,  atid  no  less  in  doing  good  offices 
for  particular  persons,  whom  he  preserved  from  censure^ 
when  they  were  under  the  severe  displeasure  of  the  Houses 
of  parliament,  and  looked  upon  as  eminent  delinquents; 
and  the  quality  of  many  of  them  made  it  believed,  that  he 
sold  that  protection  for  valuable  considerations.''^ 

PYNAKER  (Adam),  a  celebrated  painter  of  landscape^ 
was  born  in  1621,  at  the  village  of  Pynaker,  between 
Schiedam  and  Delft,  and  always  retained  the  name  of  the 
place  of  his  nativity.  He  went  for  improvement  to  Rome, 
where  he  studied  for  three  years,  after  nature,  and  aftar 
the  best  models  among  the  great  masters.  He  returned  an 
accomplished  painter,  and  his  works  rose  to  the  highest 
esteem.  His  lights  and  shadows  are  always  judiciously  dis- 
tributed and  skilfully  contrasted :  but  his  cabinet  pictures 
are  much  ^preferable  to  those  of  larger  size.  He  chose 
generally  a  strong  morning  light,  which  allowed  him  to 
give  a  fine  verdure  to  his  trees.  His  distances  are  pro- 
perly thrown  back,  by  diversified  objects  intervening,  and 
his  landscapes  enriched  with  figures,  and  pieces  of  archi- 
tecture.    He  died  in  1673.' 

.  PYNSON  (Richard),  the  third  on  the  list  of  our  early 
printers,  was  born  in  Normandy,  as  appears  by  king  Henry^s 
f>atent  of  naturalization,  in  which  he  is  styled  <<  Richardua 
Pynson  in  partibus  Normatid.  oriund.'*  There  were,  how- 
ever, some  of  the  same  name  in  England,  about  his  time* 
jThe  few  particulars  recorded  6f  his  life  are  chiefly  conjec- 
tural, as  that  he  was  either  apprentice  or  son-in-'law  to 
Caxton.  Mr;  Ames  intimates  that  he  was  in  such  esteem 
with  the  lady  lyiargaret,  Henry  Vllth's  mother,  and  other 
great  personages,  that  he  printed  for  them  all  bis  days,  and 

I  Atb.  Ox.  vol.  1^— Bircb's  Lives,— MarshaU'i  Sermon  at  hii  FuMnd,  1644^ 
4io.  *  <  Pilkiogton.  — Detcampst  toI.  lU 


P  Y  N  S  O  N.  405 


? 


obtained  a  patent  from  the  king. to  be  bis  printer,  jn  1503, 
or  before.  He  appears  to  have  resi(}ed  in  the  vicinity  of 
Tenipie-bar,  for  some  time  on  the  city  side^  and  for  some 
tim^  on  the  Westminster  side  of  that  ancient  boundary.  If 
be  was  made  king^s  printer  so  early  as  1503,  as  assented,  by 
Amesy  be  did  not  assume  the  title  till  1508,  when  be  Qrst; 
ad4ed  it  to  his  colophon.  This  honour  seenos  to  have  been 
accompanied  with  some  small  salary,  and  the  title  of  £$.•!• 
qoire.  Soon  after  his  commencement  in  business, ;  he  em* 
ployed  one  William  Tailleur,  a  printer  of  Roan,  to  print 
Littleton^s  Tenures,  and  some  other  law  pieces  for  him : 
because  our  laws  hieing  all  jnade  in  the  Norman  French  till 
the  beginning  of  the  reign  pf  Henry  VIL  and  the  printers 
of  that  country  understanding  the  language  better,  were 
certainly  more  capable  of  printing  them  correct,  After^ 
wards  he,  as  well  as  others,  had  such  help^,  that  the  st^.* 
ttitesaod  other  law  books  were  all  printed  at  home.  About 
1525  he  began  his  controversy  with  Redman,  who  had 
ftolen  one  of  his  principal  devices,  and  affixed  it,  without 
apology,  toa  number  of  the  books  printed  by  him*  Red- 
fnan  he  abuses  in  very  gross  terms,  and  even  quibbles  ^upoi^ 
his 'name  Redman  quasi  'R'uJ^msdXi^  Yet,  notwithstanding 
this  dispute,  Redman  succeeded  Pyoson,  by  reproving  into 
the  very  parish  and  house  of  Pynson. 
-  Pynson  was  the  first  who  introduced  the  Roman  letter 
into  this  country.  He  appears  to  have  h^d  patrons  who 
eontributed  to  the  expense  of  some  of  bis  undertakings. 
When  he  died  is  uncertain,,  nor  is  it  ascertained  what  was 
the  date  of^the  last  book  printed  by  him.  Some  think  he 
died  before  1529,  others  later.  Bertholet  succeeded  hio^ 
as  king^s  printer  in  1529,  but  it  has  been  conjectured  that 
Pynson  only  retired  from  business  at  that  time.  Pynson  is 
esteemed  inferior,  upon  the  whole,  ^s  a  printer,  to  Wyn*- 
kyn  de  Worde;  but,  says  Mr.  Dibdin,  **in  the  choice  and 
intrinsic  worth  of  his  publications,  has  a  manifest  superi- 
ority." This  is  very  high  praise,  and  appears  tp  be  just. 
Symptoms  of  true,  useful  learning  appear  on  Pynson's  list, 
which  cannot  be  said  of  his  predecessors,  whatever  value 
collectors  may  fix  upon  their  productions,^ 

PYRRHO,  the  founder  of  the  spct  of  Pyrrbonists,or  scepr 
jtics,  ^as  the  son  of  Plistarchus  of  the  city  of  Elea,  in  th^ 
Peloponnesus.     He  flourished  about  the  llQth  olyiupiad, 

?  Dlbidm's  Typographical  Antiquiticft^  vol.  II. 


40«  P  Y  R  R  H  O. 

di  340  ft.  €.  He  applied  himself  first  to  (yavnting,  and  s^4 
teril  of  bis  pieces,  in  which  be  succeeded  well,  i«<ere  long 
preserved  at  Elea ;  but,  aspiring  to  philosophy,  be  becani^ 
the  disciple  of  Anaxarchus,  whom  he  accotnpanied  to  In- 
dia. Here  he  conversed  with  the  Brachmans  and  Gyvatfo* 
Aophists,  imbibing  from  their  doctrine  whatever  might 
seem  favourable  to  his  ttatnral  disposition  towards  doubting^ 
but  in  general  very  little  satis'Sed  with  them.  As^erery  ad*f 
yantd  he  afterwards  made  involved  him  in  more  unc^er-f 
tainty,  b^  determined  on  establishing  a  new  school,  itt 
which  he  taught,  that  every  object  of  human  inquiry  is  in- 
volved in  uncertainty,  so  that  it  is  impossible  ever  t^  ar-^ 
rive  at  the  knowledge  of  truth. 

Some  of  his'opiniofis  and  sdnie  of  his  oddities  tend  to 
remind  the  reader  of  certain  affectatioiis  of  wisdom  and 
philosophy  in  our  own  days.  "All  men,"  fee  said,  **  re-r 
gulate  their  conduct  by  received  opinions.  Every  thing  i$ 
done  by  habit ;  every  thing  is  examined  with  reference  tt 
the  laws  and  customs  of  a  particular  country ;  but  whether 
these  laws  be  good  or  bad,  it  is  impossible  to  determine.** 
In  this  may  be  found  the  germ  of  those  principles  advanc^ed 
by  modern  sceptics,  in  order  to  subvert  all  morality.  At 
first  Pyrrbo  lived  in  indigence  and  obscurity,  courting  re-* 
tirement,  and  seldom  appearing  in  public.  He  frequently 
travelled ;  but  never  told  to  ^at  Country  he  intended  to 
go.  Every  species  of  suffering  be  endured  with  appanent 
insensibility.  He  never  turned  aside  to  av<>id  a  rock  or 
precipice,  and  would  rather  be  hurt  than  get  out  of  the 
way  of  a  chariot,  and  his  friends  were  therefore  obliged  to 
accompany  him  wherever  be  went.  If  this  be  true,  says 
Brucker,  it  was  not  without  reason  that  he  was  ranked 
^mong  those  whose  intellects  were  disturbed  by  intense 
study ;  and  this  excellent  historian  seems  to  think  that 
many  such  reports  were  calumnies  invented  by  the  dogma- 
tists whom  he  opposed,  and  he  is  inclined  to  be  of  this 
opinion  on  account  of  the  respect  with  which  he  is  men« 
tioned  by  ancient  writers.  There  appears,  however,  upon 
the  whole,  no  great  reason  to  think  that  bis  life  was  much 
more  consistent  than  his  opinions,  and  the  respect  paid  to 
either  in  his  age  seems  entitled  to  little  regard  as  evidence 
bf  excellence. 

»  His  reputation  certainly  spread  soon  over  all  Greece, 
and  his  opinions  were  embraced  by  many.  The  inhabitants 
of  Elea  created  him   sovereign  pontiff  of  their  religion. 


P  Y  R  R  H  O.  40^ 

altbotigb  bis  leading  opinion  was  that  there  is  no  certaintjr 
in  any  thing.  The  Athenians  presented  him  with  tlie  free-' 
(]om  of  their  city.  Epicurus  hked  his  eanversatit^n,  i)e- 
Caose^  as  be  thought,  Pyrrho  recommended  and  practisei^ 
that  self-command  which  produces  undisturbed  tranqtitf-^ 
Uty.  The  highest  degree  of  perfection  to  wbicb,  'in 
Pyrrhpo*8  ofiinion,  men  can  arrive,  is,  never  to  pass  a  deci- 
sion upon  any  thing.  His  disciples  were  all  agreed  in  oive' 
ppinty  thai  they  knew  nothing.  Some  of  them,  however, 
sought  truth,  in  hopes  of  finding  it :  others  despaired  of 
«ver  discovering  it.  Some  were  disposed  to  affirm  one 
diing,  namely,  that  they  knew  nothing  for  certain  j;  but 
others  hesitated  whether  it  might  not  be  unsafe  to  affimk 
evea  tbis.^  His  opinions  had  existed  partially  prior  to  his 
own  times;  but,  as  no  one  before  htm  professed  absolute 
ikiubt  about  every  thing,  he  has  always  beeifi  considered  air 
the  author  and  founder  of  scepticism. 

Pyrrho  died  about  the  ninetieth  year  of  his  age,  probably 
in  the  123d  olympiad,  or  B.  C.  288.  After  his  death,  th^ 
Athenians  honoured  his  memory  with  a  statue,  and  a  mo* 
Bument  to  hinot  was  erected  in  his  own  country. 

Brupker  ascribes  his  scepticism  to  his  early  acquati'itanctf* 
with  the  system  of  Detnocritus.  Having  leaniea,  s&ys  he^'^ 
to  deny  the  real  existence  of  all  qualities  in  bodies,  except 
those  which  are  essential  to  primai*y  atoms,  artd  to  refetf 
every  thing  else  to  the  perceptions  of  the  mind  produced 
by  external  objects;  that  is,  to  appearance  and  bpitiion,  hd 
concluded,  that  all  knowledge  depended  upon  the  faHa- 
cious  reiport  of  the  senses,  and  consequently,  that  tbeirls 
can  be  no  such  thing  as  certainty.  He  was  encouraged  id 
this  notion  by  the  general  spirit  of  the  Eleatic  school,  in 
which  be  was  educated,  which  was  unfavourable  to  science. 
But  nothing  contributed  more  to  confirm  hitti  ih  scepticism, 
than  the  subtleties  of  the  Dialectic^  schools,  in  whicli  li^ 
was  instructed  by  the  son  of  Stilpo.  He  saw  no  method, 
by  which  he  could  so  effectually  overturn  the  cavils  of  so- 
phistry, as  by  having  recourse  to  the  dbctflne  of  universal 
uncertainty.  Being  strohgly  inclined,  from  his  natural 
temper  and  habits  of  life,  to  look  upon  immoveable  trani 
quillity  as  the  great  end  of  all  philosophy ;  bbserving,  thai 
nothing  tended  so  much  to  disturb  this  tranquillity,  as  thi& 
innumerable  dissentions  which  agitated  the  schools  of  the 
dogmatists;  at  the  same  time  inn^rring,  from  their  endleu 
disputes,  the  uncertainty  of  the  questions  upon  which  they 


403  P  Y  R  R  H  O. 

debated^  he  determined  to  seek  elsewhere' for  that  pe^oet 
of  mind,  which  he  despaired  of  finding  in  the  dogmatic 
philosophy.  In  thi?  manner  it  happened,  in  the  case  of- 
Pyrrho,  as  it  has  often  happened  in  other  instances,  that 
controversy  became  the  parent  of  scepticism.' 

PYTHAGORAS,  one  of  the  greatest  men  of  antiquity, 
was  born  most  probably  about  t:be  year  B*  C.  586,  but  this 
date  has  be^n  much  pontested.     His  father,  Mnem^rpbus, 
of  Samos,  who  wa^  an  engraver  by  trade,  and  dealt  in  ringt 
and  other  trinkets,  went  with  his  wife  to  Pelpbfi  a  few  days 
after  his  marriage,  to  sell  some  goods  during  the  feast  ^^  and^ 
while  he  stayed  there,  received  an  oracular  answer, from: 
Apollo,  who  told  him  that  if  he  embarked  for  Syria,  the< 
voyage  would  be  very  fortunate  to  him,  and  that  bis  wife 
would  there  bring  forth  a  son,  who  should  be  renowned  foe 
jbeauty  and  wisdom,  and  whose  life  would  be  a. blessing  to 
posterity.     Mnemarchus  obeyed  the  god,  and  Pythagoras 
lyas  born  at  Sidon ;  and,    being  brought  to  Samoa,  was 
educated  there  answerabiy  to  the  great  hopes  tb9^t  wece 
conceived  of  him.     He  was  called  *^  the  youth  with  the 
iiue  bead  of  hair  ;*'  and,  from  the  great  qualities  which 
appeared  in  him  early,  was  soon  regarded  as  a  gpod  genius 
sent  into  the  world  for  the  benefit  of  mankind. 

l^amos,  in  the  mean  time,  afforded  no  philosophers  ca^ 
pable  of  satisfying  his  ardent  thirst  after  knowledge;  and 
therefore^  at  eighteen,  he  resolved  to  (ravel  in  quest  of 
them  elsewhere.  The  fame  of  Pherecydes  drew  him 
first  to  the  island  of  Syros;  whence  he  Went  to  Miletus, 
where  he  conversed  with  Thales.  Then  he  went  to  Phoe*^ 
picia,  and  stayed  some  time  at  Sidon,  the.  place  of  his 
birth ;  and  from  Sidon  into  Egypt,  where  Thales  and  Solon 
iiad  been  before  him.  Amasis,  king  of  Egypt,  received 
him  very  kindly ;  and,  after  having  kept  him  some  time  at 
his  court,  gave  him  letters  for  the  priests  of  HeliopoUs. 
The  Egyptians  were  very  jealous  of  their  sciences,  which 
Ibey  rarely  imparted  to  strangers;  nor  even  to  their  own 
countrymen,  till  they  had  made  them  pass  through  the  se- 
verest probations.  The  priests  of  Heliopolis  sent  him  to 
those  of  Memphis  ;  and  they  directed  him  to  the  ancients 
of  Diospolis,  who,  not  daring  to  disobey  the  king,  yet 
unwilling  to  break  in  upon  their  own  laws  and  customs, 

'  Diog.  Laertiai. — Stanley.— Brucker. — Gen.  Diet  by  Bayle.— Fenetoo's 
litef  of  the  Philosophers  by  Cormack.  ^ 


f  *  — 


V  PYTHAGORAS.  409 

yeceivfed  Pythagoras  into  a  kind  of  noviciate,  hoping  he* 
woCild  soon  be  deterred  from  farther  pursuits  by  the  ri- 
gorous rules  and  ceremonies  which  wece  a  necessary  intro-> 
(Jijction^  to  their  mysteries.  But  Pythagoras  went  through 
all  with  wonderful  patience,  so  far  as  even,  according  to 
«o^e  authors,  to  admit  of  circumcision. 

After  having,  remained  twenty-five  years  in  Egypt,  he 
went  to  Babylon,  afterwards  to  Crete,  and  thence  to  Sparta,^ 
to   instruct  himself  in  the  laws  of  Minos  and  Lycurgus. 
Then   he  returned  to   Samos,  which,   findiing  under  the 
tyranny  of  Polycrates, .  he  quitted  ags^io,  and  visited  the 
countries  of  Greece.     Going  through  Peloponnesus,:. he 
stopped  at  Phlius,  inhere  Leo  then  reigned ;.  and,  in  bis 
conversation   with  this  prince,  spoke  with  ^  so  :n;iucb   elo^-. 
quence  and  wisdotn,  that  Leo  was  at  once  delighted  aiid 
surprised.-    He  asked  him  at  length,  '^  what  profession  he 
followed  ?'"  Pythagoras  answered  ^^  None,  but  .that  be  was 
a  philosopher.'*    For,  displeased  with  the  lofty  title  of. sages 
and  wise  men,  which  his  profession  bad  hitherto  assufoedy^ 
he  changed  it  into  one  more  modest  and  humble,  calling 
himself  a  philosopher,  that  is,  a  lover  of  wi$dom.     Lea 
a»ked  him  *^  what  it  was  to  be  a  philosopher ;.  and  the.  dif*. 
ferenc.e  there  was  between, a  philosopher  and  other  men?'' 
,  Pythagoras  answered,  that  *'  life  might  well  .be'compared 
to  the  Olympic  games ;  for,  as  in  that  vast  assembly,  some 
9ome  in  search  of  glory,  others  in  search  of  gain,  and  a 
third'  sort,  more  noble  than  the  two  former,  neither  for 
fame  nor  profit,  but  only  to  enjoy  the  wonderful  spectacle,- 
and  to  see  and  know  what  passes  if)  it ;  so  we,  in  like  man- 
ner, come  into  the  world  as  into  a  place  of  public  meeting, 
where  some  toil  after  glory,  others  after  gain,,  and  a  few, 
pODtemning  riches  and  vanity,  apply  themselves  to   the 
$tudy  of  nature.     These,  last,''  said  he,  ^' are  they,  whom 
I  call  philosophers."     And  he  thought  them  by  fat*  the 
noblest  of  the  human  kind,  and  the  only  part  whiph  spent 
their  lives  suitably  to  their  nature;  for  he  was  wont  to  say. 
that  ^^  man  was  created  to  know  and  to  contemplate.^'     /    * 
J^roqi  Peloponnesus  he  passed  into  Italy,  and  settl:$d  at 
Croton;  where  the  inhabitants,  having  suffered  great  loss 
in  a  battle  with  the  Locrians,  degenerated   from  industry, 
and   courage   into   softness  and   effeminacy.     Pythagoras 
thought  it  a  task  worthy  of  him  to  reform  this  city ;  ahd^ 
accordingly  began  tp  preach  tp  the  inhabitants  all  manner 
of  virtues;  and,  though  he  naturally  nietat  first  with  great 


410  PYTHAGORAS. 

c^pQsittoti)  yiet  at  length  be  made  sucb  an  impression  oil 
bis  bearers,  that  the  magistrate4»  themselves,  astonbbed  at 
ibe  solidity  and  strength  of  reason  with  which  h^  spake, 
pray«d  him  to  interpose  in  the  itSm^  of  the  government, 
and  to  give  such  advioe  as  be  sho'»l<t^  judge  expedient  for 
the  good  of  the  state.  When  Pylliagoras  had  thus  reformed 
feh^  manners  of  the  citiaens  by  preaching,  and  established 
the  city  by  wise  a«d  prudent  counsels,  he  thought  it  time 
to  lay  some  foundation  of  the  vtrisdom  he  professed ;  and| 
in  order  to  estabh^  his  sect,  opened  a  school.  It  is  not 
to  be  wotxtered  that  a  crowd  of  disciples  offered  tbefiOfselve? 
to  a  man,  of  whose  wisdom .  such  prodigious  effects  bad 
been  now  seen  and  heard.  They  came  to  him  from  Greece 
and  from  Italy;  but,  for  fear  of  pouring  the  treasures  of 
wisdom  into  unsound  and  corrupt  vessels,  he  received  noir 
indifferently  all  that  presented  themselves,  but  took  time 
ta  try  them :  for  he  used  to  say,  ^^  every  sort  of  wood  is 
Bot  fit  to  make  a  Mercury ;''  ejp  quofvis  ligno  rum  fit  Merci/L-^ 
rius  ;  that  is,  liU  minds  are  not  alike  capable  of  knowledge. 
He  gave  his  disciples  the  rules  of  the  Egyptian  priests, 
and  made  them  pass  through  the  austerities,  which  he  him- 
self bad  endured.  He  at  first  enjoined  them  a  five  years^ 
silence,  during  which  they  were  only  to  bear ;  after  that, 
leave  was  given  them  to  propose  questions,  and  to  state 
tbeirr  doubts.  They  were  not,  however,  even  then,  to  talk 
without  bounds  and  measure ;  for  he  often  said  to  them, 
''  Either  hold  your  peace,  or  utter  things  more  worth  than 
silenoe;  and  say  not  a  little  in  many  words,  but  much  iu 
few/'  Having  gone  through  the  probation,  they  were 
obliged,  before  they  were  admitted,  to  bring  all  their 
fortune  into  the  common  stock,  which  was  managed  by 
persqns  chosen  on  purpose^  and  called  OBconomists :  and, 
if  any  retired  from  the  society,  he  often  carried  away  with 
him  more  than  he  brought  in.  He  wa«,  however,  imme* 
diately  regarded  by  the  rest  as  a  dead  person,  bis  obsequies 
made,  and  a  tomb  raised  for  him  ;  which  sort  of  ceremony 
was  instituted  to  deter  others  from  leaving  the  school,  by 
shewing,  that  if  a  man,  after  having  entered  into  the  ways 
of  wisdom,  turns  aside  and  forsakes  them^  it  ia  ki  vain  for 
him  to  believe  himself  living  *• —  he  is  dead  *. 

^  "   Pjthagotftt    it  f aid,    by  the  of  its  power  over  tbe  human  ^ficclioiifi 

writers  of  his  life,  to  have  regarded  that,  accordiug  to  tbe  Egyptian  systeoif 

music  as  tomelhiiig  celestial:  and  di«  be  ordered  liis  disciplet  to  be  waked 

▼iae,  and  to  bare  bad  sndi  sa  opiaioo  every  nwraiqs*  and  JulM  Ui  de^. 


P  Y  T  R  A  G  a  R  A  &  411 

'  The  Egyptinns  believed  the  secrecy  they  observed  to  be 
fecptmn^nded  to  tbem  by  the  example  of  ihhir  gods,  who 
wotild  tiieverbe  seen  by  mortals  but  throitgh  the  obscurity 
of  shadows.  Fdr  this  reason  there  wm  at  Sais,  a  town  of 
£gjrpt,  a  fetattte  of  Pallas,  who  was  the  same  as  liis,  widh 
tM^  inscription  :  ^*  I  am  wbatever  is,  has  been,  or  shall  be  | 
und  no  tnortlil  hos -ever  yet  taken  off  the  veil  that  covers  me.'^ 
They  had  invernted,  dierefore,  three  ways  of  expressing 
l^eir  tbotfgbts ;  the  simple,  the  hieroglyphicai,  and  the 
symbolical.  In  the  simple  they  spoke  plainly  and  intelli^ 
gibly,  ad  in  common  conversation ;  in  the  faieroglyphical 
tl»ey  concealed  their  thoughts  under  certain  images  and 
characters;  and' in  the  symbolical  ti>ey  explained  them  by 
ishort  ekpressiokis,  which,  tinder  a  sense  plain  and  idmple, 
included  another  wholly  figurative.  Pyttiagoras  prindipally 
imitated  the  symbolical  style  of  the  E^gyptians,  which,  hav*^ 
ing  neither  the  obscurity  of  the  hieroglyphics,  nor  the 
clearness  of  ordinary  dlscofirse,  he  tfaougtit  very  proper  to 
inculeate  the  greatest  and  most  important  truths:  for  ft 
Hymbolt^  by  its'double  sense,  the  proper  and  the  figurative^ 
teaches  two  things  at  once ;  and  nothing  pleases  th^  mind 
wore,  than  the  double  image  it  represents  to  our  view. 

In  this  manner  Pythagoras  delivered  many  excdtent 
things  concerning  God  and  the  human  soul,  and  a  vast  va-^ 
riety  of  precepts  relating  to  the  conduct  of  life,  political  as 
well  as  civil;, and  he  made  some  considerable  discoveries 
and  advances  in  the  arts  and  sciences.  In  aritfao^etic,  the 
common  multiplication  table  is,  to  this  day,  still  called  Py^ 
thagoras's  table.  In  geometry  it  is  Said  be  invented  itiany 
theorems,  particiilarly  these  three ;  1st,  Only  three  poly- 
gons, or  regular  plane  ftguresj  can  fill  up  the  space  about 
a  point,  Vi^.  the  eqiiilateral  triangle,  the  square,  and  the 

every  night,    by  sweet  sounds.      He  delighted  by  sweet  sounds.     This  wa$ 

likewise  considered  it  as  greatly  con-  said  to  have  been  the  opinion  of  Mi- 

ducive  to  health,  and  made  use  of  it  in  nerra.     In  very  high  antiquity  mau- 

disorders  of  the  body»  as  veU  as  in  kind  g^ve  human  wisdom  to  theii^  gpd«, 

those  of  the  mind.    His  (biographers  and  afterwards  took  it  from  them«  tp 

and  secretaries  even  pretend  to  tell  us  bestow  i^  on  movtals. 

vrhal  kind  of  musie  be  applied  upon  '^  U  perasiag  the  list  of  illostrtooi 

these  occasioas.    Grave  and  solemn,  n>eD,  wiio  have  sprung  from  the  school 

we  maybe  certain;    aud   vocal,  say  of  Pythagoras,  it  appears  that  the  love 

they>  was  preferred  to  iustrmnental,  and^cultivation  of  mosic  was  so  much 

and  tbe  lyre  to  tbe  flat^  not^oniy  for  a-  part  of  tbeir  discipline,  that  almost 

itis  decency  and  gravity,  bat  because  every  one  of  them  left  a  treatise  be* 

instruction'  could  be  conveyed  to  the  Tiind  him  upon  the  subject."    Dr.  Bur- 

tf  ind;  by  means  of  articulation  in  siAg-  .  ney,  in  Rees's  CyciopSidia. 
jag,  at  tbe  «aBie  time  as  tbe  ear  was 


412  PYTHAGORAS. 

hexagon :  26^  The  sum  of  the  three  angles  of  every  triangle 
is  equal  to  two  right  angles:  3d^  In  any  right-angled 
triangle,  the  square  on  the  longest  side  is  equal  to  both 
the  squares  on  the  two  shorter .  sides  :  for  the  discovery  of 
this  last  theorem,  some  authors  say  be  offered- to 'the  gods 
a  hecatomb,  or  a  sacrifice  of  a  hundred  oxen;  Plutarch, 
however,  says  it  was  only  one  ox,  and  even  that  is  ques- 
tioned, by  Ciceto,  as  inconsisstent  with  his  doctrine,  which' 
forbade  bloody  sacrifices :  tbe  more  accurate  therefore  say^ 
he  sacrificed  an  ox  made  of  flour,  or  of  clay;  and  Plutarch 
even  doubts  whether  such  sacrifice,  whatever  it  was,  was 
made  for  the  said  theorem,  or  for  the, area  of  the  parabda, 
which  it  was  said  Pythagoras  also  found  out.  .     , 

In  astronomy  his  inventions  were  many  and  great.  It  is 
reported  he  discovered,  or  maintained  the  true  system  pf 
the  world,  which  places  the  sun  in  tbe  centre,  and  makes 
all  the  planets  revolve  about  him;  from  him  it  is  to  this 
day  called  the  old  or  Pythagorean  system ;  and  is  the  same 
as  that  revived  by  Copernicus.  He  first  discovered  that 
Lucifer  and  Hesperus  were  but  one  and  the  same,  being 
the  planet  Venus,  though  formerly  thought  to  be  two  dif t 
ferent  stars.  Tbe  invention  of  the  obliquity  of  the  zodii^c 
is  likewise  ascribed  to  him.  He  first  gnve  to  the  world  the 
name  Koo^/lio;,  Kosmos^  from  the  order  and  beauty  pf  all 
things  comprehended  in  it;  asserting  chat  it  was  made  ac- 
cording to  musical  proportion  :  for  as  he  held  that  thesun\ 
by  him  and  his  followers  termed  the  fiery  globe  of  unity, 
was  -seated  in  the  midst  of  the  universe,  and  planet$ 
moving  around  him,  so  he  held  that  tbe  seven  planets  had 
an  harmonious  motion,  and  their  distances  from  the  sut) 
corresponded  to  the  musical  intervals  or  divisions  of  the 
monochord.  We  may  also  add,  that  among  the  works  that 
are  cited  of  him,  there  are  not  only  books  of  physic,  and 
books  of  morality,  like  that  contained  in  what  are  called  his 
**  Golden  Verses,"  but  treatises  of  politics  and  theology. 
All  these  works  are  lost :  but  the  vastness  of  his  mind,  and 
the  greatness  of  his  talents,  appear  from  the  wonderful 
things  he  performed.  .  He  delivered,  as  antiquity  relates, 
several  cities  of  Italy  and  of  Sicily  from  the  yoke  of  slavery; 
he  appeased  seditions  in  others ;  and  he  softened  the  man- 
ners, and  brought  to  temper  the  most  savage  and  unrojy 
humours,  of  several  people  and  several  tyrants.  Phataris, 
the  tyrant  of  Sicily,  is  said  to  have  been  the  only  one  who 
could  withstand  the  remonstrances  of  Pythagoras ;  wd  bd^ 


PYTHAGORAS.  41$ 

it  fte^msy  was  so  enraged  at  his  lectures,  that  he  ordered 
him  to  be  pat  to  death.  But  though  the  reasonings  ot  the 
philosopher  could  oiake  no  impression  on  the  tyrant,  yet 
i^ey  were  sufficient  to  revive  the  spirit  of  the  Agrigientines, 
and  Phalaris  was  killed  the  very  same  day  that  he  had  fixed 
for  the  death  of  Pythagoras. 

Pythagoras  had  a  great  veneration  for  marriage;  and 
therefore  at  Croton,  married  Theano,  daughter  of  Brou- 
tinus,  one  of  the  chief  of  that  city.  He  had  by  her  two 
sons,  Arimnestus  and  Teiauges ;  which  last  succeeded  his 
father  in  his  school,  and  was  the  master  of  Empedocles. 
He  had  likewise  one  daughter,  named  Damo,  who  was  dis«> 
tinguisbed  by  her  learning  as  well  as  her  virtues,  and  wrote 
an  excellent  commentary  upon  Homer.  It  is  related  that 
Pythagoras  bad  given  her  some  of  his  writings,  with  ex- 
press commands  not  to  impart  them  to  any  but  those  of 
bis  own  family  ;  to  which  Damo  was  so  scrupulously  obe- 
dient, that  even  when  she  was  reduced  to  extreme  poverty, 
she .  refused  a  great  sum  of  money  for  them.  Some  have 
indeed  asserted,  and  Plutarch  among  them,  that  Pytha- 
goras never  wrote  any  thing;  but  this  opinion  is  contra- 
dicted by  others,  and  Plutarch  is  supposed  to  be  mistaken. 
Whether  he  did  or  tiot,  it  is  certain  that  whatever  was  writ- 
ten by  his  first  disciples  ought  to  be  regarded  as  the  work 
of  himself ;  for  they  wrote  only  his  opinions,  and  that  so 
r^giously,  that  they  would  not  change  the  least  syllable ; 
respecting  the  words  of  their  master  as  the  oracles  of  a 
god ;  and  alledging  in  confirmation  of  the  truth  of  any 
doctrine  only  this,  avrog  tfa^  ^*  He  said  so.^'  They  looked 
on  him  as  the  most  perfect  image  of  the  deity  among  men. 
His  bouse  was-  called  the  temple  of  Ceres,  and  his  court- 
yard the*  temple  of  the  Muses ;  and,  when  he  went  into 
towns  it  was  said  he  went  thither,  ^'  not  to  teach  men,  but 
to  heal  them." 

•  Pythagoras  was  persecuted  in  the  last  years  of  his  life, 
and  died'^  tragical  death.  There  was  at  Croton  a  young 
laaan  called  Cyloo,  whom  a  noble  birth  and  opulence  had 
ao  puffed  up  with  pride,  that  he  thought  he  should  do  ho- 
nour to  Pythi^oras  in  offering  to  be  his  disciple.  -The 
philosopher  did  not  measure  the  merit  of  men  by  these  ex- 
terior things ;  and  therefore,  finding  in  him  much  corrup- 
tion and  wickedness,  refused  to  admit  him.  This  extremely 
«nraged  Cylon,  who  sought  nothing  but  revenge;  and,' 
JiaviDg  tendered ' many  persons  disaffected. to  Pythagoras, 


4i*  ?  y  T  H  A  ,Q  O  If.  4  Si- 

came  one  day  accompanied  by  a  crowd  of  profligates^  <  w4 
surrounding  tbe  house  where  he  was  teai^^bi^og;,  ^e(  it  qu 
&r^.  Pythagoras  had  the  luck  to  escape,  and  flyings  toql^ 
the  way  to  Locris  -,  but  the  LocrianS|  fearing  the  i^uipity 
of  Cylon,  who  was  a  man  ^  power^  deputed  their  cbi^ 
magistrates  to  meet  him^  and  to  request  h^a  tp  re^re  els^« 
wh^re.  He  wei>t  toTarentum^  where  a  new  persecution 
(QQj)  obliged  bim  to  retire  to  Metapontum«  But  the  se4i*« 
VioM  of  Croton  proved  as  it  were  the  signal  of  a  general  in* 
tf^urr^^tion  against  the  Pythagoreans  }  the  flame  had  gained 
all  the  citif|s  .of  Greece ;  t^e  sqhools  of  Pytbagqras.  wecQ 
(lestroyedf  an^  be  bimselfy  at. the  age  of  a^ore  eightyi 
4^iUed  at  the  tumuUof  jVletapontum,  or,  as  others  say,  wa^ 
stafyed  to  de^th  in  the  temple  of  the  Muses,,  whither  h^ 
was  fled  for  r^f^ge. 

The  doptrine  of  Pythagoras  was  not  caaflned  ^o  tbf 
narrow  x^ompass  of  Magna  Grsacia»  now  called  th^  kii^dpi^ 
of  Naples;  it  spread  itself  all  over  Qre^ce,  aiid  i^Asiai 
The  Komans  .adm^ired  bis  procepts  Iqog  aft^r  his  d^ath  ; 
a«4  having  Teueiv^d  an  oracle,  wh^^b  comimnded  them  tq 
erect  staitqes  in  honour  of  the  vnost  wis^  and  th^  n)ost 
valiant  of  %\iq  Gi^^ks,  thi^y  erected  two  \>v%zpfi  f^at^ies ; 
one  to  A4cibiade«  a$  .the  most,  v^-liant,  and  thq  otbtor  |0 
Pythagoras  as  the  most  wi$e[.  It  was  greatly  ^}i}»  boqaur^ 
that  the  two  most  excellent  men  Greep^  ^ver  produced, 
Socrates  and  Plato,  in  sopie  measure  followed  his  doctriiiep 

The  sect  of  Pythagoras  subsisted. till  towards  the  end  of 
the  reign  .of  Alexander  the  Great.  About  that  tiipe  the 
Academy  and  the  (^yceum  united  to  pbscure  and  $^iallG|ir 
up  the  Italic  sect,  which  till  then  bad  b^ld  i^p  its  bea4  li^Ub 
so  mqch  glory,  that  Isocrates  writes  :  'VWe  p)or^  admife^ 
at  thi^s  day,  a.  Pythagorean  wbeq  be  is  silept,  than  otl^i:^ 
even  the  u^ost  eioquc^nt,  when  tbey  spe^lc^'* .  Hqwe^ver,  i^ 
after-ages,  there  were  here  and  there  some  disc%>}^  Qf  Py* 
tbagoras ;  but  they  w^re  Qpjy  particulfur  ji^noti^  .whQ  ncjirer 
made  any  society^  nor  bad  .the  Pytbagpii^^a4V»  any  gipi'^^ji 
public  ^cbqgJ.  Not)fiib$tapdiqg  the  high  f  iiooniiumis .  b^ 
stoiv^d  Mpon  this  phiio49pber» .  9ruiok?r>  wbp  ba^  91  ▼ery 
elaborate  article  on  the  »ubj#ot,  is.af  ppJkiiQP  tl^t,  Pjjtbfir 
goras  owed  much  of  his  eelebxiiy  and  wthoirity  t^  imjKX»r 
ture.  Why  did  be  9Q  siudipHsly  cwri  ^b^  .^ftcjety  of  %}*Pt 
tian  priests,  sq  famous  iu  aiitieut  tim.e^  for  their  arts  of 
deception ;  why  did  he  take  so  mu«h  pains  %p,bc  ifHtiaf^ed 
ip  religioud  myMfi^i  why  did  h^  ^4^e  iuto  j^  subter« 


P  Y  T  H  AG  O  R  A  S.  4U 

raaeous  c«vern  in  Cvete ;  why  4id  he  assntme  tbe  cbaxMter 
of  ApdIlcH  at  tbe  Olympic  g9«)es ;  why  did  be  boast  ftJiiat 
fai»  soul  had  liv«d  in  former  badies,  and  tt^t  .he  bad  been 
fim  iEtbalidi98  tiie  son  of  Mercury,  th^n  Eupborbos,  then 
PyrrhuB  of  Delos^  ai»d  at  l»st  Pythagoras,  but  that  be  might 
the  more  easily  impose  upon  tbe  credulity  of  an  ignorant 
and  superslitious  people  ?  His  whole  manner  of  life,  a$ 
far  as  it  is  known,  eonfirma  this  opir^ion.  Clotbed  in  ^ 
long  white  robe^  with,  a  flowiog  b^ard,  and,  as  some  relate, 
with  a  golden  orown  ou  his  bead,  he  preserved  among  tbe 
people,  and  in  the  presence  of  bi^  disciples,  a  commanding 
gravity  aod  majesty  ,of  aspect.  He  made  use  of  music  to 
promote  tbe  tranquillity  of  his  mind ;  frequently  singing, 
for  this  purpose,  bymns  of  Tbales,  Hesiod,  and  Homer. 
Hq  had  auch  an  entire  command  of  himself,  that  be  was 
tiever  seen  to  express,  in  bis  counteaance,  grief»  or  joy,  or 
angen  He  refrained  from  animal  food,  and  Qoniined  him** 
self  to  a  frugal  vegetable  diet,  esccluding  from  bis  simple 
bill  of'&fe,  for  sundry  mystical  reasons,  pulse  or  beans. 
"By  this  artificial  demeanour,  Pythagoras  pass^  himself 
upon  the  vulgar  as  a  being  of  an  order  superior  to  tbe 
eotnmon  eondiliou  of  humanity^  and  persuaded  them  that 
he  bad  reci^ived  his  doctripe,  from  heaven.  We  find  still 
eKtant  a  letter  of  Pythagoras  to  Hierp,  tyrant  of  Syracu&e; 
but  this  letter  is  certainly  supposititious,  Pytbi^goras  baviog 
been  dead  bejfore  Hi€«ro  was  born.  ^  Tbe  Golden  Verses 
of  Pythagoras,"  tbe  real  author  of  wbi<:h  is  unknown,  have 
been  frequently  published,  with  the  **  Convmentary  of 
Hierocies,*'  and  a  Latin  version  and  notes.  Mr.  Dacier 
translated  them  into  French,  with  notes,  and  added  the 
*' Lives  of  Pythagoras  and  Hierocles;'*  and  this  work  was 
published  in  English,  the  '^  Golden  Verses"  being  translated 
from  tbe  Greek  by  N.  Rowe,  esq.  in  1707,  8vo.  * 

PYTHEAS,  a  celebrated  ancient  traveller,  was  born  at 
MassTilia  (now  Marsieilles),  a  colony  of  tbe  Pboceans.  He 
was  well  acquainted  with  philosophy,  astronomy,  matbe- 
maticsy  and  geography;  and  it  is  supposed,  with  reason, 
that  his  fellow-citizens,  being  prepossessed  in  fevour  of 
his  knowledge  and  talents,  and  wishing  to  extend  their 
trade,  sent  him  to  make  new  discoveries  in  the  North, 
while  they  employed  Eutbymenes^  for  the  same  purpose, 

1  Diogeaea  LatrtiQi^— Sianlty.^Bracktr. — Buroey's  Uiit  of  Matic.*-Hat* 
tou't  0iot. 


415 


P  Y  T  H  E  A  g. 


in  the  South.  Pytbeas  explored  all  the  sea-eOMts,  from 
Cadiz  to  the  isle  of  Thule,  or  Iceland,  where  he  observed 
that  the  sun  rose  almost  as  soon  as  it  was  set ;  which  is  the 
case  in  Iceland,  and  the  northern  parts  of  Norway,  during 
the  summer  season.  After  his  return  from  this  first  voyage^ 
he  travelled  by  land  through  all  the  maritime  provinces  of 
Europe  lying  on  the  ocean  and  tlie  Baltic,  as  far  as  Ta^iiais, 
which  is  supposed  to  have  been  the  Vistaia,  where  fae 
embarked  for  Massilia.  Polybius  and  Strabo  have  treated 
the  account  of  his  travels  <as  fabulous  ;  but  Gasaendi,'  San* 
son,  and  Rudbeck,  join  with  Hipparchus  and  £rato«theiies 
in  defending  this  atveieiit  geographer,  whose  reputatio^f  is 
completely,  established  by  the  modern  navigators.  We 
are  indebted  to  Pytbeas  for  the  discovery  of  the  IsleU>f 
Tbule,  and  the  distinction  of  climates,  by  the  different 
length  of  the  dftys  and  nights.  Straba  hfts  also  preserved 
to  us  another  observation,  which  was^made  by- him  in  .bis 
own  country,  at  the  time  of  the  solsticec  Pythets  arast 
have  lived  at  the  same  time  with  Aristotle  and  AlexanBer  the 
Great;  for  Polybius,  as  quoted  by  Strabo,  asserts,  that 
Dicearchus,  Aristotle's  pupil,  had  read  bis  werks.*  ^FUs 
ingenious  Marseillois  is  the  first  and  most  ancient  GrMiUsh 
author  we  know.  His  principal  work  was  entitled,  ^^Tiie 
Tour  of  the  Earth ;''  but  neither  this,  nor*  any^otbcrr  6£  his 
writings,  have  come  down  to  tts,  though  some  of  them 
were  remaining  at  the  end  of  the  fourth  centuiy.  They 
were  written  in  Greek,  the  language  then  spokeo  at 
Marseilles. ' 

<  Strabu.— Gen.  Diet.— Diet  Hilt 


(417     ) 


•       •  •  I  * 

CltJAD^^TUSy  ah  earlj  Christian  writer  <in4  apoTogisy 
was  a  disciple  of  the  apostles^  according;  to  Ciisebius  aot) 
Jerome,  atid  bishop  of  Athens,  where  he  wal  boni,  or  at 
least  edacated.  About  the  year  125,  when  tb^  eniiioror 
Addao^t  ^b^^  ^^  ^^^  ^^^  y^*^  ^f  ^^^  reign,  wintered  ajt 
Athens,  and  was  ther«i  initiated  into  the  Iteusinian  mya^ 
.terieS)  a  persecution  arose  against  tfafe  Christians.  Qcu^ 
dratns,  who  had  succeeded  rublius,  the  martjred  bisbpiy 
in  order  to  stop,  the  persecution,  composed  an  **  Apolpg]^ 
for  the  Christian  Faith,**  and  presented  it  to  the  empejrov. 
This  Apology,  which  happened  to  be  .  accompanied  bjr 
another  froh)  Afistides  (see  Alti$TjpEs),  had  the  desired 
eSecc,  and  was  extaot  in  £usebius^s  time:  wbo  tells  uL 
that  it  shewed  the  genius'of  the  man,  and  the  true  doctrine 
of  the  apostles  j  but  we  have  only  a  small  fragment  prer 
served  by  Eusebius,  in  the  fourth  book  of  his  history,  ia 
which  the  author  declares,  that  *'  none  copld  doubt  tbe 
truth  of  the  miracles  of  Jesus  Christ,  because  the  person^ 
heated  and  raised  from  the  dead  by  him  had  been  seeix^ 
not  only  when  he  wrought  his  miracles,  or  w(iile  b^  wai 
upon  eartb,  but  even  a  very  great  while  after  his  death]; 
SQ  that  there  are  many,**  says  he,  **  who  were  yet  Uvibj^  in 
our  time,**  Valesius,  and  others  upon  his  authority,  will 
have  the  Quadratus  who  composed  the  Apology,  .to  be  i 
diflbrent  person  from  Quadratus^  the  bishop  or  Athens; 
but  his  arguments  do  not  seem  sufficiently  grounded,  au^ 
Hre  therefore  generally  rejected.  Jerome  affirms  them.  t» 
be  the  same.  Nothing  certain  can  be.  collected  concerniog 
the  death  of  duadratus;  but  it  is  supposed  that  he  waf 
banished  from  Athens,  and  then  put  to  a  variety  of  tormepts^ 
tinder  the  reign  of  Adrian.^ 

'  QUARLES  (Francis},  an  English  poet,  was  horn  in  ike 
year  1592,  at  Stewards,  near  Romforq  in  Essex,,  and  l^ap- 
tized.on  May  S  of  that  year.  His  faiuitv  was  of  some 
consideration  in  the  county  of  Essex^  and  possessed^  of 
several  estates  in  Eomford,  Horncbarcb,  Dagenham^  &c 

•   »  <4t»^  vol.  L'MJitrfMft  Variwr-'Fabrfo.  WM.  OmofiStaai  OMwiit. 
VOU  XXV.  E  B 


41S  Q  U  A  R  L;E  S. 

In  Romford  phurch  are  registered  the  deaths  of  his  grand* 
father,  sir  Robert  Ctuarles,  and  his  two  wives  and  daugh- 
ters,  and  James  Quarles,  his  fathefr,  who  died  Nov.  16,. 
1642,  He  was  clerk  of  the  ^reen  cloth,  and  purveyor  of 
the  navy,  to  queen  Elizabetht  Our  poet  was  educated  at 
Christ's  college,  Cambridge,  and  Lincbln's-inn,  London. 
His  destination  seems  to  have  been  to  public  life,  for 
\ve  are  told  Jie  was  preferred  to  the  place  of  cup-beareJT 
to  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  James  t.  electre^s  palatine  and 
queen  of  Bohemia;  but  quitted  her  serviqe,  very  pro- 
bably upon  the  ruin  of  the.elector^s  affairs,  and  went  over 
to  Ireland,  where  be.  became  secretary  to  archbishop  Ushei;.  * 
Xlpon  the  breaking  out  of  the  rebellion  in  that  kingdom,  iq 
lo4i,  he  suffered  greatly  in  his  fortune,  and  was  obliged  to 
fly  for  safety  to  England.  But  here  he  did  not  meet  with 
the  quiet  be  expected;  for  a  piece  of  his,  styled  ^^The 
Royal  Convert,'^  having  given  offence  to  the  prevailing 
powers,  they  took  occasion  from  that,  and  from  bis  .repair- 
ing to  Charles  I.  at  Oxford,  to  hurt  him  as  much  as  pos- 
sible in  his  estates.  But  we  are  told,  that  what,  he  took 
most  to  heart  was,  being  plundered  of  bis  books,  and  some 
manuscripts  which  he  had  prepared  for  the  press.  The 
loss  of  these  is  supposed  .to  have  hastened  his  death,  which 
happened  Sept.  8,  1644,  when  he  was  buried  in  the  church 
of  St.  Vedast,  Foster-lane,  London.  Quarles  was  also 
'chronologer  to  the  city  of  London.  What  the  duties. of 
Ibis  place  were,  which  is  now  abolisbedy  we  know  qot,; 
^ut  his  wife  Ursula,  who  prefixed  a  short  life  of  him  to  one 
pf  bis  pieces,  says  (hat  **  he  held  this  place  till,  his  deajth, 
and  would  have  given  that  city  (and  the  world}  a^  testi-* 
faiony  that  he  was  their  faithful  servant  therein,  if  it  had 
pleased  God' to  blesse  him  with  life  to  perfect  what  he  bad 
begun.**  Mr.  Headley  observes,  that  Mr.  Walpole  and 
!Mr.  Granger  have  asserted,  that  he  had  a  pension  from 
Charles  L  though  they  produce  no  authority  ^  and  he 
1;binks  this  not  improbable,  as  the  king  had  taste  to  disco- 
ver merit,  and  generosity  to  reward  it.  Pope,  howevei^ 
asserted  the  same  thing,  and  probably  had  authority  for  it, 
although  he  dicl.not  think  it  necessary  to  quote  it :     .  . 

'*^  The  hero  William,  and  the  martyr  Charles  j 
'^One  knig^bted  Blackmore^  and  one  pensioned '|Quarle&" 

'  Wood,  in  pientionin.g  ^  a  publication  of  Dr.  Burgess, 
which  was  abused  by  an  anonymous  author,  and  defended 
by  Quarles^  siyles  the  latter  **  an  cid  pmitauical  poel^.  ibo 


Q  U  A  RL  E  S.  4f» 

45Ametimes  darling  of  our  plebeian  judgments;*'  arid  Phil-  ' 
lips  says  of  his  i^orks^  that  *'  they  have  been  ever^,  and  stiU 
Bi"e/  in  wondferful- veneration  among  the  vulgar.'*  And  tlriis 
certainly  has  been  the  case  until  within  the  last  thirty 
years  several  critics  of  acknowledged  taste  studiied  Quarles's  * 
various  works  with  attentions  and  have  advanced  proofs 
that  sortie  of  them  deserve  a  better  fate.  Of  these,  Mr. 
Headley,  and  Mr.  Jackson  of  Exeter,  appear  to  have 
pleaded  the  cause  of  this  neglected  poet  with  best  effect; 
and  ahliough  they  do  not  convince  us  that  reprinting  the 
whole  of  any  of  his  pieces  would  be  an  acceptable  labour, 
there  can  be  no  doubt  that  a  judicious  selection  would  prove 
Quarles  a  man  of  rdal  genius  and  true  poetical  spirit. ' 
Quarles  (says  Mr.  Headley)  has  been  branded' with  more' 
than  cohimon  abuse,  and  seems  often  to  have  been  cen- 
snr^  merely  froiii  the  want  of  being  read.  "  If  his  poetry,'* 
add^  this  amiable  critic,  ^*  failed  to  gain  him  friends  and 
readers,  his  piety  should  at  le^st  have  secured  him  peace  and 
good-will.  He  too  often,  no  doubt,  mistook  the  enthusiasm 
of  devotion  for  the  inspiratfbn  of  fancy.  To  mix  the  waters  of 
Jordan  and  Helicon  in  the  same  case  was  reserved  for  the  hand 
of  Milton  ;  and  for  him,  and  him  only,  to  find  ihe  bays  of' 
Mount  Olivet  equally  verdant  with  those  of  Parnassus. 
Yet,  as  the  effusions  of  a  real  poetical  mind,  however 
thwarted  by  untowardness  of  subject,  will  be  seldom  ren« 
dered  totally  abortive,  we  find  in  Quarles  original  imagery^ 
striking  sentiment,' 'fertility  of  expression,  and  happy  com- 
binations ;  together  with  a  compression  of  style,  that  merits 
the  observation  of  the  writers  of  verse.  Gross  deficiencies 
of  judgnient,  and  the  infelicities  of  his  subjects,  cbncurrecl 
in  ruining  hirii." 

•  O^'^ing  to  this  and  other  attempts  to  revive  the  memory 
of 'Quarles,  bis  various  pieces  have  become  l)!ite1y  in  much 
request;  'and  the  original,  or  best  editions,  are  sold  at  high 
prices.  The  first,  in  point  of  popularity,  is  his  "'Emblenii,'* 
Lbird.  1635,  small  8vo,  with  prints  by  Marshall  and  Simp- 
-aon.  The  hint  was  probably  taken,  as  many  of  the  plates 
i^ertainly  were,  from  Herman  Hugo's  Emblems,  published 
a  few  years  before  (see  Hugo),  but  the  accompanying 
verses  are  entirely*  Quarles's.  Hugo  was  more  mystical^ 
Qiuarles  more  evangelical.  Alciat  preceded  them  both ; 
of'wh^eh  Fuller  seems  to  have  been  aware,  in  the  followin'or 
character  -of  Quarles,  which  we  shall  transcribe,  as  Mr. 
Haftdley  has  not  disdained  to  take  a  bintfrom  iu    *'Had 

B8  2 


499  q  U  A  ^  L  E  S« 

he  be^il  CQnteiqporary/'  9aysoiir  quainlt  .bj^gff pffa^r^  ^^Wftb 
^\f^\Qf  that  grfsat  bick-ffcieo^  P^  fo^ts^  \^  Fpuld  pot  Qnl][^ 
bia^Y§  fUlpwed  jiia^  to  jiye,  bijt  adyanced  hifn  to  an  qffice  ii^ . 
his  co^iiQOnwealth.     Some  goetSi  if  d^b^r/c^  prafapeaes^^ . 
wantoDness,  and  sartiricalnessi  tbat  they  m^y  neither  abuse 
God^  themselves^  nor  their  neigb^ou|rs,  h^,y^  their  tonguesi 
cut  out  in  effect.   Others  oply  tr^e  in  ^it  at  the  secon4 
hand;  ibeing  al)  for  translations,  nothiqg  for  inyeotioi^^ 
Our  Quarles  v^as^  free  from  the  faults  of  t))e  firsts  as  if  he 
had.  drank  of  Jordan  instead  of  Helicon,   and  slept  on 
Mount  Olivet  for  bis  Parpassus ;  apd  ws^  b^py  IP  bis  own 
invention.     His  visible  poetry,  I  pieap  hii|  ^  Emblemsi*  is 
excellent^    catching  therein  the  ey^   and  fancy   at  one 
draught  ;^  so  that  be  hath  oxxt^Alciated  therein,  in  some 
some  men's  judgments.     His  ^  Verses  on  Job*  are  done  to 
the  life ;  so  that  the  reader  may  see  bis  forces,  and  through 
them  the  s^nguish  of  hi^  soul.     According  to  the  advice ^of, 
3t.  {lierome,  verba  verteb^  in  operas  and  practised  the : 
Job  he  had  described."  Qf  these  Eniblems  there  have  been 
iiiQumerable  editions,  and  they  continue  still  to  V^  printed. 
i)is  other  works  we  sball  mention  in  the  order  of  publi- , 
catipn*     2.  ^^  A  F^ast  for  Wormes,  in  a  poem  of  the  history , 
of  Jonah,'Mbid«  1620,  4to.     3.  <<  Pentaipgia,  or  the  Quin- 
tessence of  Meditation/'     4.  '<  Hadassa,  or  the  History  of 
Esther,"  Lend.  1621.     5.  <<  Job  Militant,  with  meditations 
divine  and  moral,"  ibid.  1624,  4to.     6.  ^^Argalus  and  Par-. 
tbenia,"  a  romance,  ibid.  1631,  4to.    7,  ^^.History  of  Samp* 
son,"  16?1,  4to.   8.  **  Anniversaries"  upon  his**  Paranete.'* 
9.  **  Enchiridion  of  Meditations,  divine  and  moral,"  prosoj 
ibid.  1654.     10.  **The  Loyal  Convert."    1 1.  «  The  Virgim 
Widow,"  a  comedy,  Lond.  1649,  4to.     12.  **  Divine  Faur: 
oies:  digested  ipto  epigrammes,  meilits^tions,  and  obser- 
vations," 1633,  4to.     13.'**Tbe  Sbepbeard*s  Oracles,  ^e-*. 
livered  in  certain  Eglogues,"  1646,   4to.     14.  **  Divine 
poems:  containing  Jonah,  Esther,  Job,  Sjops  lionets,.  EIPt 
gies,  &c."   1630,  8vo;  reprinted,  with  plat^es,  ip    1674* 
15.  **  Solomon'^  Recantatioi^"  reprinted  1739.  This  is  pro- 
bably not  a  perfect  list  of  his  pieces^  nor  have  we  been  abl^ 
to  see  copies  otf  the  whole.     Some  are  accurately  desc|ib(K4 
ip  Messrs.  Longman's  **  Bibliotheca  AnglorPoetica." 

By  his  wife  he  had  eighteen  children,  one  9f  ynh'tfnL 
named  JoHN^  a. poet  also,  was  born  in  £s%ex  in.lf  9^4 ;  ^ 
mitted  into  Elxeter  college,  Oxford,,  in  isii)  %  hpxe  m^^  Uf 
Charles  L  within  the  garrisoo  et  O^xford  >  an4  wiys  alMT'- 


Q  t)  A  ii  L  £:  i6.  421 

WBxAs  i  ciipt^in  ih  Hub  nf  the  tcfyal  fttmies.  Upon  the  ruin 
of  tU^  khig's  afiReti?^/  Hcl  r^ir^d  to  Lbndon  in-  a  mean  con* 
'dttibn;  Whftre  be  >ifrrdte  setferA'l  things  purely  for  a  main- 
tefiftnt!;ey  aiid  HfierkarAs  travelled  on  the  continent.  He 
^^ttrded^'  and  died  of  th^  plague  at  London,  in  1665.  Some 
l^k  esteeMi^d  him  also  a  good  poet';  and  perhaps  he  was 
hbt  entirely  destitute  of  geniua,  which  would  have  appeared 
te  mbre  advantage,  if  it  bad  been  duly  and  properly  culti- 
Tilted^  His  |!)rincipal  merit)  however,  with  his' admirers, 
was  certainly  bis  being  a  yery  great  royalist. 

His  v^brfcs,  as  enumerated  by  Wood,  are,  1.  **  Regale 
Lectum  Miseriae  ;  or,  a'  kingly  bed  of  misery :.  in  which  is 
contained  d  dreame  :  with  ati  Elegie  upon  the  Martyrdome 
of  Charles,  late  king  of  England,  of  blessed  memory ;  and 
another  upon  the  right  hon.  the  lord  Capel,  with  a  curse 
against  the  enemies  of  peace  ;  and  the  author^s  farewell  to 
%England.  Whereunto  is  added,  England's  Sonnets,**  Lond. 
1649,  8vo,  2d  edit.  2.  '**  Fons  Lachrymarum  ;  or,  a  Foun- 
tain of  Tears :  from  when  doth  flow  England's  complaint. 
9eremiah*s  Lamentations  paraphrased,  with  divine  raedita- 
iions,  and  an  elegy  upon  that  son  of  valour,  sir  Charles 
Lucas,"! 648,  8vo.  3.  "The  Tyranny  of  the  Dutch  agjaiost 
the  English,"  ibid,  1653,  8vo,  a  prose  narrative.  4.  "  Con- 
tinuation of  the  History  of  Argalus  and  Parthenia,'*  ibid. 
1659,  12mo..  5.  "Tarquin  banished,  or  the  Reward  of 
Lu«t,**  a  sequel  to  Shakspeare's  "  Rape  of  "  Lucrece,** 
ibid.  1655,  8vo.  6.  "  Divine  Meditations  upon  several 
subjects,"  &c.  ibid.  1679,  8vo.  7.  "  Triumphant  Chastity, 
^  or  Joseph's  self-Conflict,"  &c.  ibid.  1684,  8w.* 
.  QUELLINUS  (Erasmus),  an  eminent  painter,  was 
born  at  Antwerp  in  1607.  He  studied  the  belles-lettres 
^tid  philosophy  for  some  time ;  biit  his  taste  and  inclination 
for  painting  forced  him  at  length  to  change  hiis  pursuits. 
He  learned  his  art  of  Rubens,  and  became  a  very  good 
^inter.  History,  landscape,  and  some  architecture,  were 
the  principal  objects  of  his  application,  and  his  learning 
fre<iuently  appeared  in  his  productions.  He  painted  sever 
ral  grand  pictures  in  Antwerp,  and  the  places  thereabouts, 
for  churches  and  palaces ;  and  though  he  aimed  at  nothing 
more  than  the  pleasure  he  took  in  the  exercise  of  painting, 
yet  when  he  died  he  left  befaSnd  him  a  very  great  character 

*  Biog.  Brit — Alh»  Ox.  vol.  IT.— Headley's  Beauties. — Ellis's  Specimens.— 
'  IttiydV  Memoirs,  folio,  p.  621 .— Restittita,  vol.  L  p.  4C,  1061— 'Oent,  Mag, 
irols.  LVI.  apd  IXIIT^— Lysbns'i  Enriroos. 


422  QU  E  L  L  I  N  U  S. 

for  skill  and  merit  in  his  art.  He  died  in  1678,  ageJ 
jsevebty-one.^  He  left  a  son^  JoHH  Erasmus  QuellincMy 
called  young  Quelliaus ;  a  painter  whose  works  wem 
esteemed,  and  may  be  seen  in  different  parts  of  Flanders ; 
and  a  nephew,  Artus  Quellinus,  who  was  an  excellent  artist 
in  sculpture,  and  who  executed  the  fine  pieces  of  carved 
work  in  the  town-hall  at  Amsterdam,  engraved  first  by 
Hubert  Quellinus.  Young  Quellinns  was  born  in  1630, 
and  died  in  1715  ;  and  having  studied  at  Rome,  is  gene^ 
rally  thought  to  have  surpassed  his  father.  ^ 

QUENSTEDT  (John  Andrew),  a  Lutheran  diving,  and 
8  strong  opponent  of  the  Roman  Catholics,  was  born  at 
Quedlimbourg,  and  died  on  May  22,  1638,  at  the  age  of 
seventy-one.  He  published,  1.  A  work  entitled  ^^  Diaio- 
gus  de  Patriis  illustrium  virorum,  Doctrina,  et  Scriptis,** 
Wittemberg,  1654  and  1691,  4to.  This  is  an  account  of 
learned  men,  from  Adam  to  the  year  1600,  but  is  super- 
ficial and  inaccurate.  2.  '^Sepultura  Vetenim,"  1660,  9vO| 
and  in  4to,  Wittemberg.  This  is  esteemed  his  best  wok*k« 
3.  <^A  System  of  Divinity  for  those  who  who  adopt  the 
Confession  of  Augsburg,''  1685,  4  vols,  folio. .  4.  Several 
other  works,  more  replete  with  proofs  of  learning  than  of 
.correctness  and  good  taste. ' 

QUERCETANUS.    See  CHESNE  (Joseph  du.) 

QUERENGHI  (Antony),  a  poiet  of  Italy,  who  wrote 
both  in  his  own  language  and  in  Latin,  was  born  at  Padua  in 
1546,  and  manifested  a  very  €»irly  genius.  By  means  of  a 
ready  conception  and  vast  memory,  he  soon  made  himself 
master  of  ,se\[^eral  languages,  and  of  no  small  store  of 
other  knowledge.  He  was  confidentially  employed  by 
several  popes,  knd  was  secretary  of  the  sacred  coHege 
tinder  no  less  than  five.  Clement  VIII.  made  him  a  canon 
of  Padua;  but  Paul  V.  Recalled  him  to  Rome,  vs^here  he 
loaded  him  with  honourable  offices.  Queren^hi  continued 
to  hold  his  employments  under  the  succeeding  popes,  till 
he  died  at  Rome,  Sept.  1,  1633,  at  the  age  of  eighty- 
seven.  There' is  a  volume  of  his  Latin  poems,  which  was 
printed  at  Rome  in  1629;  and  Italian  poetry,  published 
also  at  Rome  in  1 6 1 6.  ^ 

QUEllLON  (Anne  Gabriel  Meusnier  de),  born  a^ 
Nantes  April  15,  1702,  was  a  journalist  of  some  celebrity 

1  Pilkiogton.— -Argenville,  yol  III. 

*  NiceroOt   toL  XXXll.— Chaufepie.— Moreri.— Baillet   Jagemeni. — Saxii 
#|ioiii>  ?  Undi^  Hist.  Lit.  d'lt8ai«»<*Moi«ri.-*Baaiet-*DiGt.  Hiit. 


la  ^rafioe^*  a  soholao  atuched  to  the  study  of  Ibe  itlcieobr^ 
Aft.eneiD^y  lo  bad  taste,  :ta  the- affectation  of  introdii^iQ^ 
oev^  teitnsyf  and  iSUll.inorei  to  the  rage  for  new  {iriiaqiples. 
He  publishedj)  fop  twenty .iwo  years,  a  periodical  papers  for 
the  pjx^vioce  of  .Qrittany,.  entitled  ^^  Les  petitea  AQScbes  ;** 
and  during  the  same  period^:  for  five  years,  conducted  tb^ 
^  <7as^te  de  Francey^^  tbe  ^<  Journal  Ctvanger/'  for  two 
yi^n  r  *  ai)d  too^  a  part  in  the  ^*  Journal  Encyclop^iqqe^^' 
Notwithstanding  these  labouta,  he  waa  tbe  editor  of  mai^ 
Latin  aQd  French  authors,  whose  wqrks  he  .0n«i<^ed  by 
notes,  and  prefaces,  at.onee  curioas'  and  instructive*  He 
^^mposedalso  works  of  bts  own  ;  aud^  besides  thos^  whicb 
l^e  published,  left  several  in  MS.  among  .whiciv  ivas*  a 
r^ttlar  Analym  of  tbe  literary  -journals  on  whlclv  be  was 
fQI^  so  many  years,  employed,  Towards  the  letter  pari  of 
bis  life  beac^d  as  librarian  to  n  rich  financier  naased  Beau^- 
jonj,  from  whom  be  had  a'handso»^  sadayy,  with  an  booour- 
i^ble  and  pleasing  retreat  in  hia  boun^p  lie  died  April  22, 
1730^  very  gieoecaJly  regretted       ^  - 

Jlis  principal  works,  besides  the  periodical  publications 
thready  nentioiiedy  are,  I.  '^  Les  inopostufes  innocent^s^'^ 
A  Utile  iiovel,^  the  production  of  his  youtb^  butcalcula^ 
yx  oiake  tbe  public  regret  that  her  did  not  more  employ 
himself  in  works  of  imagination.  2«  ^^i.e  Testament  de 
V'Abb^  des  Fontaines/'  1746,  l2mo,  a  pamphlet  ?  of  nQ 
great  merits  S^.^^l^  Qod($  Lycique,.  ou.  xeglement  pour 
EOpera  de  Paris,"  1743,  *^2nio.  4.  «^  Coflectinn  His- 
tcorjqne^"  or  Memoirs '  toward%  the  History-  of  tb^^  War 
which  terminated  in  1748,  l2mo,  1757.  5,  ^  Continua** 
tion  of  tbe  \Abb6  Pr6rot'ft  ^*  History  of  Yoyagfes/'  0.  A 
traaslati.on  of  the  Abb^  Marsy*^  Latin  JPoem  on  Painting, 
^hicb  is  executed  witji. fidelity  and  elegance.  Among  the 
editions  wbicb.be  published  was  on^  of  Lucretius,  1744^ 
VijfKkQ^with  unites,  wbicl^have  beegi  esteemed ;  also  Phs»driis 
und  Aoacreon.  ^ 

,  CtUERNQ  (CaMiLLO),  an  Italian  poet,  was  born  at  Mo- 
9opolis  iit  the  kingdom  of  Naples  $  and.  acquired  in  bis^arly 
years  a  great  facility  in.  extampore  verses.  He.  went  tg 
Boipe  aboitt  .15 14>  with  apoem^.  of  twenty  thoinsand  lines^t 
^ajled  AlexM^s*  Someyonng  gentlemen  of  that  eity  pror* 
fess0d  ^reat.  friendship  tOi  him :  they  treated  him  ia  the 
xipuntry,.aud  at^  a.  feist  cwjfaed  bim  arch-poet ;  so  that  hf 

■       *'      *»  pict,  Hist.' 


tm 


Q  u  e  R  NO. 


iifH»  oeruin.  oc0atkiii%  was  not  av«n0  to  bbiboMiy^ -«to^ 
]]f^hle4  in  Us  cootprajf^  and  noflsdrlMita  be  sctred  frith 
miual  from  Us.osnt  tsble;  and  QqeraK^.  bring  sfi  exMllMC 
p^sifrii^ .  bwnaered  bam  tety  exactly.  Be  ms  oUiged  to 
lasske  a  disiiiih.  cartenporty  u)K>n  wbatetw  sohyist  mms 
ffiwfi  bim ;  evcft  tboiigfa  ha  was  at  tbe  tnwi  iH  of  tbe  gm^ 
>^Ms  wkkbi  be  was  extMinely  tnidUedr  OmSj  wbeo  tV^ 
^iMtaeiihBo%  heaiMeifliisvsnie^  ^  Alt:b^l€«i•  fMit  twr^- 
ii«s|ii»iMlleDOQlii^^  aady  as  be  btaitatsd  in  soiapmafiig 
4fe  8ecDMi»  jMm  f«pe  scadily  aadl  vMttUgr  added^  ^>£r  f»« 
imiUe  sKisiuBdiipcieUt  UbiC^  Quenio^.  bastemag  «•  te^ 
^ate  bia  £aitlty  eneri^  'FPenogef  qooi  faeiat  jnibr  eatttiina 
4mtB^  Faisniiniiy?'  to  wbtcfe  tk*  ]Mpe  iastaoilr  rs|riit^» 
.^  Biocs  umacn  eoemty  d^iltiMqoe  padw/'  albidi^g  eitbef 
4o  tbe  genfc  kt.  boa  iiaefcy  evta  thefeetef  bis^msvaes^  After 
4!be  tabiag  of  Rooe^  be  i etired'  to  Hwpkfh  fdmm  be  ael^ 
feced  uudb  ikinng  tba  apaask  in  lS2Bt  Md  dM  item  bi  the 
hospital.  He  used  to  say^  *^  Ue  bad  fMHMk  e  DboiAMdl 
.wolves,  aiCcev  be  badkto^  eae  Koit%''^ 

Qli>£SJKAY  {VMAVcu)f  a^  celibiated  Rmn^  ybysieiaft^ 
siBi»  hMwet  Meveji^  near  Moatfort^Lamaiivy^  a  saaaH  nmtt 
of,  tbft  iilet  of  Francs^  bk tbe  jreor  1^4..  lie  wstt^  t)m  S0&  of 
Ai  labomaesy  and  worked  ia  tbe  iieids  titt  he  wea  sixteev 
9«am  of  age ;.  tboagb  be  aftenmird'a .  beceitte  Arsr  pbyMekuv 
in'ordbHwjp  to  the  kmg  df  Braaee^  a;  Btember  of  the  Aoit^ 
deaiy  e<  Seienney  at  PafSH  tadl^  of  the  tUya\  Soeietgr'^ 
lijoadoHi.  He  did  aot  -  csea  bsara^  te  read*  tili  thoi  period 
ahmveHmeniaoned,  when  onm  of  tbe  boeks^  in  wkaeb^  fitat 
deUghted  waa*  the  *'  MaRsea  Hoatfqoei'*  Tbe^sinrgisoairOf 
ibeivsBage  gaire  bbn  a  sigftt  btMiiids<%e  at  Gaeeb  aiKsN  S^ 
teo^  with,  tome  of  the  fiast;  priocqabteiol  bbi  ast  f^  aftev  mMiA 
herepaicsd  t»  the  ca|DSfial»  wbM  beoompletedtbitkifew- 
ledge  of  ^  jSamg  ebtasoed'  tkejm/Kkm  ^faafilh^aNada, 
'  be  first  practiaed  bis  profession  at  Mantaa ;  bwt^  Mvde-  tm 
Poproaief  bsTiog  diaosvcered}  bia^akitatv.  aA<t  tbittkiag  tbem 
knabaa^amallttauroy  iavksd  lUp^tci  Bai^a^to  b#se<»et0rf.td^ 
aa  maAemjrof  susgefy;'  wfaiab  be  wus  dc^bvus  tO'  eataMsh. 
7e<  A$i  dsaa  colicKS  tien  ofi  arieittsm^  pitiMdiid  by^  ^t^ 
QnqaiiajD  paeftxad  a  pvefter^  wbsabr.ia  cofiudend  as  ooe  of 
fba  sooipletest  fMsrfoiMaticea  ot  tb^  kbnk  Tbe  gpoa  at 
kmgib.d^ualafied  biai  £as  tbe- pmoitee;  efirstusgery,  and  be 
applied  bimaelf  to  medicine,  wbprein  he  became  no  less 

*  OiBf  tt«n^  Hist  Lit  P*lUlie,<^Ro8Coe'i  I.ea.^--&i»i  ODoaiMt 


Q  V  JE  «  V  A  9.  4M 

meinrnti  Tammfdi  dw  Uttec  ond  iof  life  fate  emAy  iA^lAJbf 
•griciriltorti  Jtudttti  Jtenyedy  .aadtlh^  hemOse  si  laading^ttM 
inttwaeoiief  dscoiiaiiiifllt^  who:  Aftcnranfar  naedejataultf 
Mii«£  tb^  tugriiitc/  hy  leitcoltttlpg:  dfwawnied  fUtiKfi^ 
^«ij  idiMiRfty iiiMl  HMttij.gDftd  /qiKiJitiei^.MiiODg'^wbMl 
«es«  hwiUfBiiy  loid^otnwilyf  vtitli  a  ntaaognmd  «c^  pUfo^ 
M|^^l  df indliPf' of  MoifiBr,.  under  thi..|i«dg  lof  tbi»  ywalt 
fie  iilred  Ha  tiMt  ager  of  e^lMiji^  ami  ki  fast  t6»j  tait  jiiMitl 
imiobed  kiimelf  la  ^ib^ljr  la  itetheaiBticfttl  ttwIiM  A«f  ifil 
fttiMM  te  iHtd  AiiaoTOJfA  li  om»  Ite  too  gwmtyrtiMtiM 
•f  <  tlw  triaectmi  <rf  an  ai%I^  and  ite  ^q[iUMim«M^  of  ti« 
ait^  ,  Ho  di#d  ia^  SteoctnbaF;;  1714;^  Lottie  XV.o«We» 
laaaii  jtttadiad  to  Sbai^mwf^  adiadr  bum  ^  mk^  paaieW^^ 
.kkliKnker;  aad^  irt  aUbsiim.toshatif.aaa]iis^gaiie4lia»tiiiW 
paMiai^ ror  <f -peiiiAts^'  faT^lntiinuv.. 
^  Hni BritaMiy: oir  bloodJ^ttiag  :i«to  |aiUuhted  i^  l*TMV 
t^Uar  thaj  iMeaf  «<  Ofaaewattona  sw  h»  fiilM'^  laltatjj;^ 
li<fo^aertt>daa]laaMln|itet.cnti4iles  8inr  ia  TMfttf  <fo8ibri?;^'^ 
aada  ssoattd  «idMtiM^  tonnieMky  4ftJk»g04/  ivw  pAiAi^ 
aar  17M.  Hei  bMJ:  paMMMd  aaa(ilMt<#a«b,  mtUl^d  '<  E/Aif 
..darG«Mir  par  la '  Saigiite^"  Pariiy  1196^  m  i^tob  kd  if^-* 
<aaawtt8ud»  bkHrah-ktriof^  dv  maay^diaaaMi;  If»  tbei  ^ilfes^ 
yaar  appeaatad  k»  ^Etf^  Pfe^ni^e^Mf  l^f^a^Mtrie'Atfi^ 
jmah^^^  't«?tnm«tdmilaaltei6|:»epYm^  in  tl4rf  m^^bt0S 

fadt  ^by  Hbdtav,  and  is  la  ftM  loiHMMveriMdi  by  a  k>ve*  <^ 
bypodie^i^  ipaiber  tfann^  by.  tb«  ^Maiia  of  ai»|ii^ienei^  md^ 
ofatamiioiik  ia  JMSy  tts  ^«  PvaftM  ui^:Mt^ditt§  A^ 
HAcadlaaiig^  dbr  Cbiriii^d/'  ahraady  mwdaw^.-  Irt«474^ 
lia  pndilttbadi  bia  *^^  Raobavebea  tsrki^^i  ee^Mvtarbtii^a  iW 
POiigitia^  sar  lem  diwra  Etau^  ai>sar  tias  Prdgfrtsi,  dtt"  la 
Gkramgia  €n  f  imac^?'  «rbiteb  esdled  lbi«h  ioaifl^  refdteki  an* 
tiiaraitogadr  kyaaoafaey  of  aoaie  o£  tbo'  hiatturieri  «ta««i^lM8« 
B^ft>cftbw  puMtoataMa  waiaioi^^  <<  lWtat«feilt  de  M'. 
de  la  f^ytoniar te  I^  AtiAl,  VJ44 ;  ^^  ExMiffi  ionpankil  dea 
Gcoitattftidotift '  doi  Maidbtki^  at  da»  C&iyargiens  4s^  Paris,"^ 
i74a»  lama;  <<MefiQOir^  pi^setit^  au  Rial  pair  son  pt^itfler 
GhMMigiep^  tA  V6»  akamiaa  1«  Sag^totf  de  PAiitoiieMe  lA- 
giakiiett  amr  IPEtal^  de  la  Cbkiirgio  «il  PiMt^''  4lb; 
!  ^TfaM  da^  la  SiippiMlkm,V  t^ttiO'}  and  «Ti^£  ^  la 
Qaogt«ae,V  i  Stao  ;i  «U  ta' tbe  yaar  I74f9.  And  lastly, 
^  c4  xnttfrdai/Fia¥f»a  cOtttkitfes;**  17^3>  m  two  voltttnes, 

i  21110.^ 

1  £10^4  l>iiBt»  Hiflt  de  Medici  ne.-^Rees*s  Cfclopsdia. 


Q;U£SN£  (Abbaham  l>u),  a  bVave  Erencb  Officer,  wa^ 
iM^m  ift  1640^  o£  »  noble  fmuly  inr  Nemimdy.  He  W8» 
MiMd  up  to  fcbe  marine  senriee  oa/der  Jiis  father^  who  was 
ail  expeneneed  capfeaui,  and  difttingutsbed  biinaelf  from  ihe 
9(g6  of  seventeen.  He  went  ipto  Svcceden  in  lOM^andwas 
there  made  major-general  of  the  fleets  and  afterwards  i^e* 
admiraL  la  this  last  character,  he  engaged  in  the  famooa 
battle,  when  the  Danes  were  entirely  defeated,  andtitopb 
their  admiral's  ship,  called  the  Pataenee,  in  which  the 
Davish  admiral  was  killed*  Being  reeailed  ta  France  in 
1647,  he  commanded  one  of  the  squadrons  sent  on  the 
Neapolitaa  expedition  j;  and^  in  1650,  wfaen^  the  Fnandhr 
0avy  was  reduced  to  a  very  low  state^  fitted  out  several 
vessels,  a^  his>  9wn  e^tpence^at  the  first'  commotions  cat 
Bourdeaux.  The  Spaniards  arrired  in  tbe  river  at  the  sam^ 
time,'  btit  be  entered  notwithstanding,  to  whicb  circum«r 
stance  the  surrender  of  the  town  was  principally  owitlg.  ^ 
and  equal  sticcess  attended  htm  in  the  last  wars  of  Sicily^ 
He  defeated  the  Dutch  in  three  different  engagements,  ia 
tbe  last  of  which  the  fiamous  Ruyter  was  killed  by  a  cannoo 
ball ;  and  be  disabled  the  Tripoli  ships  iso  as  to  compel  that 
republic  to  conclude  a  peace  very  glorious  for  France^ 
Some  yeara  after  this  he  forced  Algiers  and  Genoa  to  im* 
plorebis  majesty^s  mercy,  and  set^ at  liberty  a  great  nttm^^i 
bee  of  Christian  slaves.  In.  shorty  Asia^  Africa,  and  £u*« 
r«>pe,  were  witness  to  his  valour,  and  resound  still  with  iita 
exploits.  Thoc^h  a  protestant,  the  king  rewarded  hia  ser^ 
vices  by  giving  the  territory  of  Bouchet,  near  d'£tampes> 
(one  of  the.  finest  in  the  kingdom)  to  htm  and  bi^  heiraibc 
ever,  and  raised  it  to  a  marqui$ate  on  conditioti  that  ity 
sh6uld  be  called  Du  Quesn^,  to  perpetuate  this  great  mu/s 
memory.  H^  died  February  2,  16B8,  aged.7S,  leaving" 
four  sons^  who  have  all  distinguished  themselvea.  Henrys 
the  ddest,  published  <^  Reflections  on  the  Eucharist,'^  171^, 
4to,  'a  work  much  valued  by  the  Protestaats«  He  died  in 
1722,  aged  71.  He  had  also  several  brothers,  all<tf  whom* 
died  in  the  service.'' 

QU£SN£L  (Pasquier),  a  celebrated  French  ecdesi'«? 
astic,  was  bom  July  14,  1634,  at  Saris..  He  entered  thet 
congregation  of  the  Oratory,  Nov*  17,  1657^  and  devoted 
himself  wholly  to  tbe  ^tiidyof  Soriptui^e,  and  the  Fathers, > 
and  the  composition  of  works  of  piety^    When  scarcely 

^  pict.  HisL^'Perraiilt'i  Les  Homoiefi  Illvitrc^ 


Q  U  E  S  N  E  L.  42T 

Wenty*€igbty  be  was  appointed  fint  director  of  ll^e  lasti-. 
lution  of  bi9  order»  at  Paris,  under  htber  Jourdaidi ;  and 
began,  in  that  honse^  bis  famous  book  of  **  Moral  Re-% 
flections'*  on  eacb  verse  of  the  New  Testamenti  for  thoi 
vme  of  young  pupils  of  tbe  Oratory.    This  work  originally, 
consisted  only  of  somp  devout  meditations  on  our  SaviourV 
words  i  but  M.  de  Lomenie,  wbo^  from  being  minister  and; 
secretary  of  state,  had  entered  the  Oratory,  the  marquis  de. 
Laigoe^  and  other  pious  persons,  being  .pleased  with  Ihts 
4>egimiing,  requested  father  Quesnel  to  make  similar  reflec-  ' 
lions  on  every  partof  the  four  Gospels.     Having  complied^ 
M.  de  Laigue  mentioned  the  book  to  Felix  de  Vialart,  bi- 
shop of  Ch^ons-sur-Marne ;  and  that  prelate,  who  ,was 
much  celebrated  for  his  piety,  adopted  the  work  in  hia  dio- 
cese, and  recommended  the  readii^  of  it  by  a  mandate  of 
November  9,  1671,  after  having  had  it  printed  at  Paris  by 
Pralard  the  same  year,  with,  consent  of  the  archbishop  Har- 
lai,  the  royal  privilege,  and  tbe  approbation  of  the  doctors. 
Father  Quesnel  afterwards  assisted  in  a  new  edition  of  St« 
Leo's  works. ,  When  De  Harlai  banished  father  De  Sainte 
Marthe,  general  of  the  Oratqry,  he  obliged  father  Quesnel^ 
who  was  much  attached  to  him,  to  retire  to  Orleans  1681* 
The  general  assembly  of  the  Oratory  having  ordered,  iu 
1684,  the  signature  of  a  form  of  doctrine,  drawn  up  in 
1678,  respecting  various  points  of  philosophy  and  theology^ 
father  Quesnel  refused  to  sign  it,  and  withdrew  into  the 
Spanish  Netherlands,  in  February  1685.     He  took  .advan*; 
t^e  of  the  absurd  mixture  of  philosophy  and  theology  in*, 
troduced  into  this  form.    After  this  he  went  to  M.  Arnauldc 
at.  Brussels,  residing  with  him  till  his  death,  and  there 
finished  the  ^*  Moral  Reflections''  on  tbe  whole  New  Testa-^ 
ment;  which,  thus  completed,  was  first  published  in  1693. 
and  1604,  and  approved  in  1695,  by  cardinal  de  Noailles^, 
then  bishop  of  Clh&lons>sur-Marney  who  recommended  it 
by  a  mandate,  to  his  clergy  and  people.    When  the  samo^ 
prelate  became  archbishop  of  Paris,  he  employed  some 
divines  to  examine  these  ^'  Reflections''  carefully ;  and  it 
was  after  this  revisal  that  they  were  published  at  Paris,  1699. 
This  edition  is  more  ample  than  any  other.    The  cele* 
brated. archbishop  of  Meaux  was  also  engaged  on  the  sub«^ 
ject ;  and  "  The  Justification  of  the  Moral  Reflections, 
against  the  Problem,"    appeared  under^his  name  1710^ 
The  fambus  Case  of  Conscience  gave  occasion  for  renewing 
the  disputes  about  the  signature  of  the  Formulary,  and  the 


tnak^tbt  ^i^t^.  i^AtB^rCitfe^ilMlWM  arrefited  at  Bmssebj 
tHii^m,  noii  BydM^of  thcfa^cfabishdp  of  M&Unes^,  and 
C§fl^xitftti^  to  ps^hdti  i  httt  Boh  tihiby  a  youn^  Bpatiiard^ 
«tttt>%ea  %)f  A6  iftafqUH  a'An^tobefg,  ^eleas^d  iiim  Sep- 
C^iMMf  l94fr  folidv^ing,  and  fa6  #ef(iiiimed  concealed '  at 
BMiMfh  tttt  OMc/bef  ^  ;  tb^rf  quiftied  that*  place  for  Hol-^ 
IMA,  iifh6f^i  ilt¥kiri^  ifi  ApHI  1704,  tie  ptiblisbed  serenit 
jH^c^  itgiMltiit  tk6  ai^cb^ishoj)^  of  Maliites,'  Who  coademned 
mm  6y  K  semefi<5«  ^date^  Nov^i»ib«^  ID,  17&4.  Tkis  se6- 
f€f^»c^  fith^  QM^^I  atta^I^d,  imd  wrote  in  1705  twd 
Mtd^io  pfovi  it  ncrll:  one  l$iittft)6d,  <^Id^e  g6n6rale  dit 
Libeli^,  p}ihM  6it  Latin,''  Sc.  r  thii  o^er^  "  Anatoniie  de 
lit  SelDtenoe  de  M.  rArds^v^^d^  de  Matinesl''  Several 
]lfUte»  a^eecred,  soon  afte^,  tgainrt  tK«  bd6k  of  <<  MeraA 
A^ft^tiddt:*^  i^ah^d  bi^^piiibli^ll^  befoir^;  Me  entitled, 
^^tft^F^^ref  CWAStifel  iiit€tiq\i6f  theothfcirj  "Le  Pere 
Qttl^tTkH  Be^idvti.''  Th^e  pnUicM^Af  Muted  pope 
©Itfrti^frt  XI.  it  dotidevnn  i*  Sftdg^tbey^  by  A  decree  of  Jrfy 
IS^,  ifcftf;  bui  this  decVed  did  no^  appe^6  tbe  contest,  and 
ftitfaei^  Qtfesnel  refuted  it  wiA  gr^at  wartoth,  1709,  in  a 
wolffc  enWtled  **  Entfdtiens  sur  le  D^eret  de  Rome,  centre 
Ic^  I^lAifveaii  Testament  de  Cb&lons,  aJ#6omf]f>agn6  de  r6- 
fi^ton^  itootaies."  In  the  m^an  thto6,  th*  bishops  of  Lu- 
cM,  la  Rotbelie,  and  Gap,  condemnfed  tAn  book  by  man* 
dates',  which  were  to  he  followed  and  inppWted  by  a  letter 
ridfdtdssed  to  th^  king,  and  signed  by-tft^  greatest  part  of 
ttlfe  French  bishops.  This  was  sent  to  thfM),  ready  drawn 
1^^;  but  the  plan  was  partly  defeated  ;  fot  a  packet  intended 
by  the  abb6  Bochart  de  Saron  for  the  bishop  of  Cietnent, 
his  nncle,  and  wbicb  contained  a  copy  of  tbe  letter  to  tbe 
King,  fell^  into  the  hands  of  cardinal  dis  NoAilles,  and  much 
Confusion  ensued.  At  length,  tlte;  dlspUti^s  oh  this  subject 
afCilf  continuing,  pope  Clement  XI.^  at  tlie  solicitation  of 
£ouis  XIV.  published,  September  8y  ¥713,  the' celebrated 
bull  begiiiiiing  with  the  words,  «  Uiiigenitns  Dei  Filius,'* 
%y  wbich  he  condeihned  lathei^  QuesnePs  book,  with  101 

.  *  THe  ab^k  Eenaudot,  one  of  the  at  Rome  capable  of  writing  in  this  man* 

aiost  learned  men  in  France,  beiDg.at  ner;  1  yrhh  I  pould  have  the  author 

Itome  the  .first  year  of  Cletttent  XL's  near  me  :**  yet  this  very  po^e  ve  aee 

poatiftcatjBy  ^nt  one  day  to  wait  apon  published  a  decree  against  it,  and  af- 

this  pope,  "whd  loved  men  of  letters,  terw^irds,  in  HI 3^  issued  the  famous 

aW  was  himself  a  man  of  learning;  and  bnll  Unigenltus,  m  whieh  an  hdndred 

fottiid'  him   reading  Quesnel*s  book  s  and  one  proppsittohs  extracted  from  % 

**  Thify'*  aaid'his  holiness,  «  is  an  ev-^  were  condemned, 
cellent*  performance ;  .we  have  no  one 


9  U  E  S  N  E  L,  4^§ 


b€QQ  writteiii  or  H^^t  sfiauld  l^  fm^tf^i  ifl  ftad^^^f), 
Tliif  ball  wat  received  by  ^  aAipDf)?|y  of  0)^  Fr^^- 
clergy,  and  regif  Jcr^4  in  parU^iien^  ^^  ^7)4»  wMbn^i^ 
cations*  Cardinal  de  If taille^,  bqvr^^rt  Kn4  s^?<B|B|.9t^ir 
prelates  refused^  and  l^ttires  dp  cftphet  v(^re  i^su^d  by  J^U. 
XI Y,  against  tbeoi;  but  ^ftef  his  d^ceasf,  tl^q  oardinaljipd' 
several  other  bishops  appealed  frqni  tfa|&,  bull  ^  f .  S^of  psil. 
council,  all  which  proceedingy  prpdaced  dispp|tei|  in  tin^ 
French  church  that  lasted  ii^arly  to  the  tin^e  ^f  t^  HfCtr 
lation. 

Quesnel  died  at  Aipsterds|in|  Pepemb^r  9,  HIS^  ift 
his  eighty-sixth  year.  He  {)fid  been  the  fiu(bo(  .^f  Qiatiy 
books  of  practical  piety,  and  of  many  pieces  in  d^feifcf  ie£ 
himself,  a  list  of  which  may  bo  s^en  in  Mpreri.^ 

QUEVEDO  (Francis  b^;),  an  eminent  Spai|ifb  nftiriiltf 

was  born  at  Madrid  in  1570;  and  was  a  ipaaqf  qi^alUy,  as 

appears  from  his  being  styled  kf^ght  of  the  order  of  St.. 

James,  which  is  the  next  in  dignity  to  that  of  th^  Qplden 

Fleece.     He  was  one  of  ^e  bes^  wnters  of  his  a^e,  and 

excelled  equally  in  yers^  apd  pron^.     He  excelled  tQQ  in 

all  the.  different  kinds  pf  poetry;  his  heroic  pieces,  saya 

Antonio,  have  great  force  and  sublupity ;  his  lyrics  ^reat 

be^iity  ai;^d  sifeetness  ;  and  his.  humprous  pieqes  a  certain 

easy  air,  pleasaotry,^  and  ingei^uity  of  turp,  ^bicb  is  der 

lightful  to  a  reader^     fli^  pro^e  works  are  of  two  ^ortSf  se» 

rious  find  comic;  the  fori^er  consist pf  pieces  written  iqpQ»i 

moral  and  religious  subjepts ;  the  latter  are  cfatirical,  full  of 

wi^  yivacity,  andbi^mour,  but  not  without  9t  considerable 

portion  of  extravagance.    All  .hi^  printed  works,  for .  he 

w^^p^  agreat  deal  which  was.  neyer^  printed^  are  comprised 

111^3  vols,  4to,  two  of  which  consist  of  poetry,  a  third  of 

pieces  in  prose*    'J£he  ^^  Parnasso^  Espagnol,.  qr  Spamsb 

Parnassuf,"  under;  which  general  title  all  his  pgetry  is  in^ 

eluded,  wfis  collected  by  the  care  of  Joseph  Gonaales  de 

SalaS|  who^  heaides'  ^hort  notes  interspersed  throughout, 

prefix^  disaertatioj^s  tQ  e^cb  d^^tinct  fpecips*     It  was  firfit 

published  ajt  Madrid,  in  16,5Q,  4tp,  and  has  since  frequently 

bf^n  printed  in  Spaiu^ifd  the  t^ow  Countries.    The  bu*^ 

morotts  part  of  his;p|Poae^,work9  baa  been  t^*anslated.isi4;o 

Jingli^h,  particularly  "  Tl^e  Visipnsj^"  a  satire  upon  corrupt 

t^OA  of  manners  in^^ll  r^nks;  which  has  gone  through 

^  Okt  Hist.**Moreri« 


4S0  Q  U  E  V  E  D  O. 

sl^eral  edUions*  Thi?  remaiiKter  of  his  comic  works,  coii- 
tahiing,  <<Tbe  Nighrtr  Advert tufer,  or  th^  Day-Hater,'* 
<*The  Life  of  Paul  ihe  Spanish  Sharper,"  "The  Re- 
tentive Knight  and  his  ^Epistles,"  "  The  Dog  and  Fever,'^ 
<♦  A  iProclamation  by  Old  Father  Time,"  «  A  Treatise  of 
allThings  whatsoever,"  "  Fortnniein  her  Wits,  or  the  Hoar 
of  all  Men,"  were  translated  from  the  Spanish,  and  pub- 
lished at  London,  in  1707,  Sfvo.  Stevens,  the  translator, 
tseetn^  to  have  thought  that  he  coold  not  speak  too  highly 
of  his  atithor ;  be  calls  bim  **  the'great  Quevedo,  his  works 
a  real  treasure  ;  the  Spanish  Ovid,  from  whom  wit  natu--' 
i^Uynilowed  without  study,  and  to  whom  it  was  as  easy  to 
wHte  in  verse  as  in  prose."  The  severity  of  his  satires,  how- 
ever, procured  him  many  enemies,  and  brought  hrm  into 
great  troubles.  The  oount  d^Olivares,  favourite  and  prime 
minister  to  Philip  IV.  of  Spain,  imprisoned  blm  for  mak-ing 
too  free  with  his  administration  and  government;  nor  did 
be  obtain  his  liberty  till  that  minister  was  disgraced.  He 
died  in  1645,  according  to  some;  but,  as  others  say,  in 
1647^  He  is  said  to  have  been  very  learned  ;  and  it  is  af* 
firmed  by  his  intimate-friend,  who  wrbte  the  preface  to  bis' 
votfime  of  po^ms,  that  he  understood  the  Hebrew;  Greek,' 
Latin, '  Italian,  and.  French  languages.^ 
•  QUICK  (John),  an  eminent  nonconformist,  was  born 
at  Plymouth,  in  Devonshire,  in  1636,  and  in  1650  entered' 
of  Exeter  college,  Oxford,  where  be  became  servitor  in 
1653,  under  the  rectorship  of  Dr.  Conaot.  After  taking 
bis  6fst  degree  in  arts  in  1657,  be  returned  to  his  native' 
county,  and  was  or<hiined  according  to  the  forms  then'  in 
u^e. '  He  first  officiated  at  Ermington,  in  Devonsfairey 
whence  he  was  ^invited  to  be  minister  of  Kingsbridge  and 
Churchstow,  in  tbesame  county,  but afterwakls  removed^ 
to  Brixton^  whence  he  was  ejected  in  1662.  He  had  soro6 
valuable  preferments  offered  to  bim,  if  be  would  conform, 
but  bis  opinions  were  fixed ;  for  besides  having  been  edu- 
cated altogether  among  nonconformists,  he  had  this  addi* 
tional  difficulty,  that  he  was  one  of  those  whom  the  law^ 
required  to  be  re^ordaioed  'before  admission  into  the 
churchy  their  previous  ordination  being  accounted  invalid ; 
bnt  to  this  few,  if  any,  of  bis  brethren  submitted.  *  He  con*- 
tinued  for  some  time  after  his  ejection  to  preach  to  bi# 
people ;  but^  incurring  a  prosecution,  and  being  frequently 

'  Cbaiifepie.^-^Moreri.*— Diet  HIsi 


4^  U  1  G  It.  %St 

"iiiiprboD^dy  h6  accepted  aa  pffer  made  in  1679;  to  be 
pastor  of  the  English  church  at  M iddleburgh  in  Zealand. 
Hare  howevef  were  some  dissensions  which  rendered  hid 
stcuatioii  uncomfortable^  and   induced   him  to  return  to 
-£ng]and  in  1681,  where  he  preached  privately  during  the 
remaitider  of  king   Charles  II.'s   reign,   and  afterwards, 
taking  advantage  of  kirtg  Janies's  indulgence,  formed  a 
congregation  in  Bartholomew  Close.     He  died  April  29y 
17^6,  in  the  seventieth  year  of  his  age.     His  character  for 
piety,  learning,  and  usefalness  in  his  ministry,  was  amply 
)>rai$ed  in  two  funeral  sermons  preached  on  occasion  .of  hk 
death,  the  one  by  Dr.  Daniel  Williams,  the  other  by  Mr. 
•Freke.     Besides  three  funeral  Sermons,  he  published  two 
tracts,  the  one,  ''The  young  man's ^laim  to  the  Sacrament 
of  the  Lord*s  Supper,"  4691 ;  the  other,  "  An  answer  to 
that  case  of  conscience,  Whether  it  be  lawful  for  a  man  to 
^arry  his  deceased  wife's  «ister  ?"     But  his  most  valuabki 
work-  is  bis  ''  Synodicon  in  Gallia  Reformata,  or  the  Acts, 
Deoisions,    Decrees,  Md   Lawd  of  the  famous  national 
councils  of  the  reformed  Churches  in  France,  &c/'  Lon^ 
don,  1692^  a  lafge  folio,  .composed  of  very  in^resiiiig 
and  autlienlic  memorials,  collected,  probably,  while  he  watf 
in  Zealand.  It  compri^s"  a  history  of  the  rise  and  progreslr 
of  tfa^  reformation  in  Finance  down  to  the  revocation  of  the 
lediciiof  Nantes  in  16B5,  and  well  merits  the  attention  of  the 
studentsof  ecclesiastical  history  at  the  present  lime..  Mr. 
Quiokl^t  also  three  iblio  volumes  of  MS  lives  of  eminent 
protestant  divines,  iprincipally  French,  which  be  iatettded 
^  pubKsb^  bad  he  met  with  enqouragea^ent.    The  duk^^ 
of  Bedford  is  said  to  have  been  so  pleased  with*  this  MS. 
tbait  he  meant  to  publish- it  at  his  own  expence,  but  wm' 
plreveated  by:  death.  •  Wbat  has  become  of  it  since,  is  not 
kn0wn.i  '  .  , 

C^UIEN  (Michael  LE},'a  FrenchDomitMclm^  and  a  very 
learned  man,  was  born« at  Boulogne  in  1661.  He  was  well 
acquainted  .witfa->the  Grreek^    Arabic,  and   Hebfeiy-lsm« 

fuages;  and  was  critically' skilled  in  the  Holy  Scriptures, 
atfaier  Pezroti,'baving  attempted  to  establish  thechponulogy 
of  the  Septoagint  aigainst  th^  pf  the  Hebrew  text,  fcnind  a 
powerful  adversary  <^in  Le  Qnien  ;  who  published  a  book  in 
1690,  and  afterwards  another,  against  his  ^^  Antiquity  des 

>  Calamy.— Wilson's  Hist,  of  DJSsenting  Churt.hes» — Williams  and  FrekeV 
Funeral  SermoDS.— Atb:  Ox^  toU  1J»  -   i 


\ 

\ 


i9$  a  U  I  E  H 

3^DM  f^tnUi^/'  fi  m^A^nt^m  "wQtk.   QMmn  calkKjl  bil^ 
tm^  ^  Antiq«u6  del  Te«si>5  iJ^^riiit^/*    He  ^pp^i^d  him^ 

t^^  ^  £ngl|iiid  i  attd  wr'P^^  ^g^n^  Ca«uniy<er  upoip  the  v«^ 
y4it^  pf tbeordiQattoDB  pf>ltk^  EiigUfb  t^i^hops,  In  all  tbi«  be 
>nM  ifAuwc^  by  hft$  ^eal  Iqir  popoiy,  and  to  pFooipte  the 
f l<try  pf  bi9 ebufcb >  ^lUh^ ei^eouDed  a ivork aUo  for  which 
]iitfh  proie»^iitiMa  aod  Ip^nMo^  ir^i»  obliged  l:a  him,  aoil 
«#  vbiob  Accouot  obiefly  b«  »  bere  optic^^^r-^M  pyc^Uent 
fditiop  m  Oreak  tod  La^in  of  t;b«  worl^^^f  ,(oMi)pft  D^mayr 
MPU9, 17109 13  vols,  fpijo,  TbA9  did  bim  grfai  bppour ;  and 
liift  i^efi  and  diss^rratiop^t  vvbi«b  s^QCPonpapy  bis  editioo^ 
ibavir  bim  to  bav«  been  me  of  tbp  mf^  leajroi^  nen  qf  bia 
affu  His  iCXieessivp  9eal  for  ibe  ^r^it  pf  tbe  Ropian  cbmrch 
nade^  biBD  pnbKsb  aaiptbar  work  in  4tp,  <:aUed  *'  Paopplia 
eaaim  acbitma  Gr^^oifumi"  ia  wUcb  b«  pp|kavo»rs  to 
i^hui  all  ibpse  iaiyptatlpp^  pf  |!Hrid#9  MibHioPf  avaricai 
^i)d  usurpaiign*  tbti  baraio  jii^Uy  bam  bfpygbi;  agaio^tm 
He  pfi^eatedt  and  bad:  vary  far  advAoa«d>  i^  y«ry  larg# 
warb,  Vrbicb  waa  tp  baft  aoibibltod  an  h^ocwal  acaoont  joi 
all  the  i^tri^vobs  aadiikferiar  pfalitilas4bai.bavp  filled  tba 
sees  in  Africa  aod  the  £»al;  ai\d  ihii  6^%  yalame 
printed  at  tbe  Loimrey  laiib  tbi&  tiibi>  ^^Oriea«:.Chrtii 
am  in  Afriea*"  wben  tba  av^hpr  d^ed  0t  Pam  iAll9S«^ 
aUIEN  de  laNaof^illa  (JA¥B0Mf  »  8i«9d  bMtarira 
bom  May  i,  leil,  at  Parity  aad  i«a»  thaaoaof  Pater  La 
Qttieiii  a  eaptain.  of  bona*  daseamM  tiom  an  aoeieat 
Baulaiiois  family^  Qe  laado  one  aMipfiijva  «a  a  eadak4ii 
tbe  re^fldent  af  Ft miph  fptards,  aad  thaa  ^iiittaA  t^  aanQc% 
meaning  to  aitaad  ttki  bar ;  bat  a  aapndanhla  dinapfMint^ 
laeat^  wbjoh  hi9  fiithar  aaat  wiib»  daraiagad  hta  plaa%  and 
ohhgfid  bifli  ta  seek  a  raaanroo  ia  litanarjr  puranita.  By 
M.  Pelisson's  advice,  he  applied  chiefly  to  bistoty^  and 
pobUsbM  in  17MV  a^  ^fGaaiml  Hbtary  of  Pbrtitgal»*^  2 
v.o\%  4to^  a  valuable  aad  ufailrariitt^n  anirk^  which  obiataad 
hifltiia  place  in  the  aaadeoiy  of  ia^enptioaa,  1706.  TUa 
history  is  carried  no  &rtbar  Hhap  dM  death  of  EnMnaimd  (« 
\52i. :  M.  de  la.  Clede^  aaofatary  to  tbe  aiaraehal  da 
Coigai,  pobltsbed  a  '<  New  History  of  Portugal/*  198S^ 
2  vols.  4lo»  and  8  vols«  i2{mo»  that  domes  down  ta  the  pmm 
sent  tim^ ;  in  the  preCaoe  to  which  ha  aeousaa  1£  La  Qidoii 
of  having  omitted  several  important  faas,   and  passed 


Q  tJ  i  E  N.  4J3 

ftllghtly  over  many  others.    M.  le  Quien  aftervirardls  pub'« 
-lished  a  treatise  on  the  origin  of  posts,  entitled  ^*  U Usage 
des  Postes  chez  les  Anciens  et  les   Modernes/'    Paris, 
i734y  12mo.     This  treatise  procured  him  the  direction  of 
part  of  the  posts  in  Flanders,  and  in  France.     He  settled 
at  Quesnoy,  and  remained  there  till  1713,  when  the  abb6 
de  Mornay,  being  appointed  ambassador  to  Portugal,  re«- 
quested  that  he  might  accompany  him,  which  wds  granted, 
and  he  received  the  most  honourable  marks  of  distinction 
on  hfs  arrival ;  the  king  of  Portugal  settled  a  pen«^ion  of 
1500  livres  upon  him,  to  be  paid  wherever  he  resided, 
created  him  a  knight  of  the  order  of  Christ,  Which  is  the 
chief  of  the  three  Portuguese  orders,  and  worn  by  himself. 
His  majesty  also  consulted  him  respecting  the  academy  of 
history  which  he  wished  to  establish,  and  did  *  establish 
shortly  after  at  Lisbon.     Le  Quien,  flattered  by  the  suc- 
cess of  his  Portuguese  history,  was  anxious  to  finish  it;  but 
bis  toa  elose  application  brought  on  a  disorder^  of  which 
he  died  at  Lisbon,  May  20,  1728,  aged  81,  leafihg  two 
'Sons)    the  elder  of  whom  was  knight   of  St.  Louis,  and 
major  of  the  daupfhiri'foreign  r^egiment,  aifd  the  younger* 
pbstmadter  general  at  Bourdeaux. ' 

QUILLET  (Claudius),  an  ingenious  Frencb  writer, 
whose  talent  was  Latin  pOetfy,  was  born  at  Clhinon,  iti 
Touraine,  about  1602.  Early  in  life  he  sftudied  physic, 
and  practised  it  for  some  years.  When  Mr.  De  Laubardie'- 
moQt,  counsellor  of  state,  and  a  creattire  6f  cardinal  Ri- 
cfadieti,  was  sent  to  take  cognisance  of  th^  famous  pre- 
tended possession  of  the  nans  of  Loddtin,  with  secret  in'- 
atructions  doubtless  to  find  them  real,:  Quitltft  was  in  tha^t 
town^  and  so  exerted  himself  in  detecting  the  impostcire, 
that  Laubardemont  issued  out  a  warrant  against  him.  On 
i^itt,  as  he  saw  that  the  whole  was  a  trick  carried  on  bv 
eardinal  Richelieu,  in  order  to  destroy  the  unhappy 
Olcatidi^r,  and  at  the /same  time,  as  some  suppose,  to 
frighten  Louis  XIIL  he  thought  it  not  safe  to  continue  *at 
l;oiidun,  or  even  in  Frs^nce,  and  therefore  immediately  re- 
tired into  Italy.  This  mu^t  have  happened  about  1634, 
Wh^n  Grandier  was  executed. 

Arriving  at  Rome,  he  paid  his  respects  frequently  to  the ' 
marshal  D'Etr^es,  the  French  ambassador;  arid  was  soon 
witet  received  into  his  service,  as  secretary  t>f  the  embassy. 

1  Kiceron,  vol.  XXXVIII.-*iM*r«^i.**«&xii  O0omast.wDiaL  Hift. 

Vol.  XXV.  '     Ff 


♦34  QUILLET. 

H^  seems  to  have  teturn^d  with  the  marshal  to  Fraooe) 
after  the  death  of  cardinal  Richelieu.  While  he  was  at 
Rome,  he  began  his  ppem  called  '*  Callipsdia  ;**  the  first 
edition  of  which  was  printed  At  Leyden,  16^5,  with- this 
title, .  *^  Calvidii  Leti  Callip»dia,  sev  de  pulcbras  prolis 
babendsB  ratione."  Calvid^us  Letus  is  almost  an  anagram 
of  his  name.  Jt  is  not  knowni  what  cause  of  offence  he 
had  with  cardinal  Mazarine ;  but  it  is  certain,  that  be  re- 
flected very  severely  upon  his  eminence  in  this  poem.' 
'  The  (v>^rdinal,  however,  sent  for  him  ;  and,,  aft;er  some  kind 
exposuilations,  assured  him  of  his  ejsteem,  and  dismissed 
him  with  a  promise  of  the  ne^t  goo^  abbey  that  should  fall ; 
which  he  accordingly  conferred  upop  him  a  ,fi^w-  fnopths 
after:  this  effectually  removed, all  Q,uill^t's  dislike,  apd 
he  dedicated  the  second  edition  of  his  boo)^  to  the  cardinal, 
after  having  expunged  the  passages,  which  bad  giv,eii  bun 
offence.  The  second  edition  of  **  Callipsedia''  ^ra:9  printed 
at  Paris,  1656,  with  many  additions,  and  Quillet's  proper 
name  to  it :  and  the  author  siibjoined  two  other  pieces  of 
Latin  poetry,  one  **  Ad  Eudoxum,''  which  is  a  fictitious 
name  for  some  courtier;  ^pother,  ^'  In.ojbitum  P^tri  Gas- 
sendi,  insignis  Philosophi  &  Astconomi."  These  are  all 
the  productions  of  Q.uille:^  which  ever  ^anxe  from  the  press ; 
/although  he  wrote  a  long  Latiti.  poem  in  twelve  hooks,  eu* 
titled  **  Henriados,'*  in  hopour  of  llenry  IV^  of.France^ 
and  translated  idL  the.  satires  of  Juvenal  into  French. 

The  singular  plan  of  the  ^^  Callipsedia,"  the  diyision  of 
the  subject,  the  variety  of  its,  episodes^  and  tbe'sprightli- 
nesspf  style,  have  procured  it  many  readers ;  but  the  lan- 
guage is  not  always  pure  and  correct,,  and  the  subject : is 
certainly  treated  in  a  manner  too  licentious.  D^  la,  Mon- 
noye  very  justly  thinks  the  great  recepjtion  it  has  mqt 
with^  owing  principally  to  the  subject;  !^hicb,  he  ^ays^  is 
often  treated  in  a.  very  frivolous  way,  especially  in  the  se- 
cond book,  where  there  are  many  lin^s  ppncerning  the 
^different  influences  of  the  c^st^lli^tions;  qor  ^ill  this 
critic  albw  the.  versifioation  to  resemblQ  qitber  that  of  Ln- 
cr^tius.or  VirgiJl*  A  tbkd  edition  <?t  the^^jCgil^p»dia'' 
was  neatly  printed  at  Londoain<1708«  ^yp;  to  wbiqh,  he- 
sides  the  two  little  Latin,  ppems  'above-ffp^ntioned,  was 
subjoined  ^^  ScjBBVoke  Sjsunmi^rthani ; j^a^dotFGiprhis^,  '^ive  de 
puerorum  edncatione^  libri  tre[s.''  It;  was  ,ti;anslat^  by 
Rowe. 

Quillet  died  in  1661,  aged  59^;  and  left  all  his  f>&pers. 


Q  U  I  ).  L  E  T.  435 

together  With  Are  hundred  crowns  for  the  printing  hi^ 
Latin  poem  in  honour  of  Henry  IV.  to  Menage ;  but  this^ 
on  some  aecount  or  other,  wa»  never  executed.^ 

'QUIN  (James),  a  celebrated  actor,  was  bovn  in  King- 
street,  Covent-garden,  the  24jth  Feb.  t68^  His  ances- 
tors were  of  an  ancient  family  in  th<^  faing^om- of  Ireland. 
His  father,  James  Quin^  was  bred  at  Tnnit^-coUege^' 
Dublin^  whence  he  came  to.  England,  entered  himself  of 
LincolnVinn^  and  was  called,  to  the  bar ;  but  his  father,' 
Mark  Quin,  who  blid  been  lord^-miaybr  of  Dubliain  1676^ 
dying  about  that  period,  and  leaving  him  a  plentiful  estate,' 
he  quitted  England  in  1700,  for  his  native)  country;  tak- 
ing with  him  his  son,  the  object  of  the  present  article. 

The  marriage  of' Mr.  Q,uin*s  father,  was  attended  with; 
circumstances  which  so  materially>  affected'  the  subsequent' 
interest  of  his  son,  as  probably  very  mticb  to  influence  bis 
destination  in  life.  His  mother  was  a  reputed'  widow,  who 
had  been  married  to  a  person  in  the  tnfei^cantile  way,  and 
who  left  her,  to  pursue  some  traffic  or  partioular  business 
in  the  West^Indies.  He  had-  be^n  absent'  froun  her  near 
s^ven  years,  without  her  having  received  any  letter  from^ 
or  the  least  information  about  bim«  H<^  was<^ven  given 
cfut  to  be  dead^  which  report : was  uuivetsally  credited; 
she  went  into  mourning  for  him ;  and  i^oi]i0-time'  after  Mr. 
Quin's  father,  who  is  said  to  have  then  possesdlfd  an  estate^ 
of  1000/.  a-year,  paid  his  addrestoS' to  her  and  married 
her.  The  offspring  of  this  marriage  was  Mr.  Cimn.  His 
parents  continued  for  some  time  in  an  utidisturbed  state  of 
happiness,  when  the  first  husband  returned,  claimed  his 
wife,  and  had  her.  Mr.  Quin  the  elder  retired  with  bis 
bon,  to  whom  he  is  said  to  have  left  hi»  property.  Ano- 
ther, and  more  probable  account  is,  that  the  estate  was 
suffered  to  descend  to  the  heir  at' law,  and^the  illegitimacy 
of  Mr.  QuiA  being  proved,  he  was  dispossessed  of  it,  and 
left  to  provide  for  himself  '   '  • 

Quin  received  faTs*  education  at  Dublin,  under  the  care 
of  Dr.  Jones,  untirthe  death  of  his  father  in  ITIO^  when 
the  progi'^ss  of  it  was  interrupted,  we  may  presume,  by 
the  litigations  which  arose  about  his  estate.  It  is  gecierally 
admitted,  that  he  was  deficient  in  literature ;  and  it  ha$ 
been  said,  that  he  laughed  at  those  Who  read  bpoks  by 
way  of  inquiry  after  knowledge,  sayings  be  read  mien' — that 

}  Nioenm,  to^  XXVIIL—Otn.  Diet— MorerK— Eloy^  Diot.  Hifl^  4t  Msdioint . 

F*F  2 


436  Q  U  I  N. 

I 

th^  worid  was  the  best  book.    This  account  is  believed  to 
be  fouuded  in  truth,  and  will  prove  the  great  strength  of 
his  natural  understanding,  which  enabled  him  to  establish 
so  considerable  a  Reputation  as  a  man  of  sense  and  genius. 
>    Deprived  thus  of  the  property  he  expected,  and  with  no 
profession  to  support  him,  though  he  is  said  to  have  been 
intended  for  the  law,  Mr.  Quin  appears  to  have  arrived  at 
the  age  of  twenty-one  years.     He  had,  therefore,  nothing 
to  rely  upon  but  the  exercise  of  his  talents,  and  with  these 
be  soon  supplied  the  deficiencies  of  fortune. .   The  theatre 
3t  Dublin  was  then  struggling  for  an  establishment,  and 
there  he  made  his  first  essay..    The  part  he  performed  was 
Abel  in  "  The  Committee,"  in  1714;  and  he  represented 
a  few  other  characters,  as  Cleon  in   ^*  Timon  of  Athens,^' 
JPrince  of  Taoais  in  "  Tamerlane,**  and  others,  but  all   of 
equal   insignificance.      After   performing  onie    season   in 
Dublin,  he  was  advised  by  Chetwood  not  to  smother  his 
rising  genius  in  a  kingdom  where  there  was  no  great  en* 
couragement  for  merit.     This  advice  be  adopted,  and 
came  to  London,  where  he  was  immediately .  received  into 
the  company  at  Drury-lane.     It  may  be  proper  here  to 
mention,  that  he  repaid  the  friendship  of  Chetwood,  by  a 
recommendation  which  enabled  that  gentleman  to  follow 
him  to  the  metropolis. 

At  that  period  it  was  usual  for  young  actors  to  perform 
inferior  characters,  and  to  rise  in  the  theatre  as  they  dis- 
played skill  and  improvement.  In  conformity  to  this  prac«» 
tice,  the  parta  which  Quin  had  allotted  to  him  were  not 
calculated  to  procure  much  celebrity  for  him.  He  per* 
formed. the  Lieutenant  of  the  Tower  in  Rowers  '*Jane 
Grey,**  the  Steward  in  Gay's  "  What  d'  ye  call  it,'*  and 
Vulture  in  '^  The  Country  Lasses  ;**  all  acted  in  1715.  In 
December  1716,  he  performed  a  part  of  more  conse* 
quence,  that  of  Antenor  in  Mrs.  Centlivre*s  "  Cruel  Gift;*' 
but  in  the  beginning  of  the  next  year  we  find  him  degraded 
to  speak  about  a  dozen  lines  in  tho  character  of  the  Se- 
cond Player  in  *^  Three  Hours  aftec;  Marriage.** 

,  Accident,  however,  had  just  before  procured  him  an 
opportunity  of  displaying  his  talents,  which  he  did  not 
neglect.  An  order  had  been  sent  from  the  lord-chamber* 
lain  to  revive  the  play  of  ^*  Tamerlane*'  fur  the  4tb  of 
Nov.  1716.  It  had  accordingly  been  got  up  wi^i  great 
magdificence.  On  the  third  night,  Mr.  Mills,*  who  per- 
formed Bajazet,  was  suddenly  taken  ill,  and  apptieatioa 


Q  U  1  N.  48Y 

was  made  to  Qain  to  read  tbe  part ;  a  task  which  he  exe- 
cuted so  much  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  audience,-  that  he 
received  a  considerable  share  of  applause.  The  next  night 
he  made  binaself  perfect,  and  performed  it  with  redoubled 
proofs  of  approbation.  On  this  occasion  he  was  conapli- 
mented  by  several  persons  of  distinction  and  dramatic 
taste,  upon  his  early  and  rising  genius.  It  does  not  appear 
that  he  derived  any  other  adyantage  at  that  time  from 
bis  success.  Impatient,  therefore,  of  his  situation,  and* 
dissatisfied  with  his  employers,  he  determined  upon  trying' 
his  fortune  at  Mr.  Rich's  theatre,  at  Lincoln's- Ino^fields, 
tben^ under  the  management  of  Messrs.  Keene  and  Christo- 
pher BuHock;  and  accordingly  in  1717  quitted  Drury-lane, 
after  remaining  there  two  seasons...  Cbetwood  insinuates, 
that  enyy  influenced  some  of  the  managers  of  Drury-lane 
to  depress  so  rising  an  actor.  Be  that  as  it  may,  he  con- 
tinued atthe  theatre  he  bad  chosen  seventeen  years>  and 
during  that  period  supported,  without  discredit,  the  same 
characters^  which  were  then  admirably  performed  at  the 
rival  theatre. 

Soon  after  he  quitted  Drury-lane,  an  unfortunate  trans- 
action took  place,  which  threatened  to  interrupt,  if  noten-^ 
tirely  to  stop  his  theatrical  pursuits.     This  was  an  unlucky 
rencounter  between  him  and  Mr.  Bowen,  which  ended 
fB^ally  to  the  latter.     From  the  evidence  given  at  the  trial 
it  appeared,  that  on  the  17th  of  April,  1718,  about  four 
or  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  Mr.  Bowen  and  Mr.  Quin 
met  accidentlly  at  the  Fleece-tavern  in  Cornhill.     They 
drank  together  in  a  friendly  manner,  and  jested  with  each 
other  for  some  time,  until  at  length  the  conversation  turned 
upon  dieir.  performances  on  the  stage.     Bowen  said,  that 
Quin  bad  acted  Tamerlane  in  a  loose  sort  of  a  manner ; 
^and  Quin,  in  reply,  observed,  tbat  his  opponent  had  no 
occasion  to  value  himself  on  his  performance,  since  Mr. 
Johnson,  who  had  but  seldom  acted  it,  represented  Jacomo, 
in  'VThe  Libertine,"  as  well  as  he  who  had  acted  it  often. 
These   observations,  probably,  *  irritated   them  both,  and 
the  conversation  changed,  but  to  another  subject  not  bet- 
ter calculated  to  produce  good  humour — the  honesty  of 
'each  party.     In  the   coufse  of  the  altercation,    Bowen 
asserted,  that  he  was  as  honest  a  man  as  any  in  the  world, 
which  occasioned  a  story  about  his  political  tenets  to  be 
introduced   by  Quin ;  and   both  parties   being   warm,  a 
wager  was  laid  on  the  subject,  which  was  determined  ii^ 


£AVOiir  of  Quiir^  on-  bis  relating  that  B^wen  ^mfefeifB«f 
drank  the  health  of  the  duke  of  .Ormood,  and  sometime* 
refused  it ;  at  the  same  time  asking  the  referee  Jioiv  be 
dould  be  as.  honesit  a  man  as  any  in  tlie  worlds  who  acted 
upon  two  di£Perent  principles..  The  gentleman  who  acted; 
as  umpii'e  then  told  Mr.  Bowen^  that  if  be  insisted  upon.bi^ 
daim  to  be  as  honest  a  maa  as  any  in  the  world,  be  jniut 
gt4^e  it  against  him^  Here  the  dispute  seemed  i»  bara 
ended)  nothing  in  the  rest  of  die^conviersation  indicating 
any  remains  .of  resentment  in  either  party.  iSooh  after^ 
wards^Jio%irever^.Mr.  Bowensurose^  threw  down  sometnoneyi 
for  his  reckoning,  and  left  the  company.  In  about  a  quar^ 
ter  of  an  hour  Mn  Cluin  was  called  out  by  a  porter  sent  by. 
Bowen^^aod  both  Qjiin  .and  Bowen  went  together,  first  to 
the  Swan  tavern,  ai\d  then  to  the  Pope-'s-head.tarern,  where 
a  rencounter  took  place,,  and  Bowen  reoeired  a,  wouod,  of 
which  he  died  on  the  20th  of.  April  following.'  In  ithQ 
course  of  the  evidence  it  was  sworn,  that  Bowen>  after.ha 
bad  received  the  wound,  declared  that  he  bad  had  justice 
done  him,  that  there  had  been  nothing  but  fair  play^  and 
that  if  be  died,  he  fredy  forgave  bis  antagonist.  On  this 
evidence.  Qmn  was,  on  the  IQthof  Juiy^  found  guilty  of 
manslau^ter  only,  and  soon  after  returned  to  bis'employ<^ 
inent  on  the  stage*.  . 

1  Tins  unbappy  incident  was  not  calculated  to  impress  f 
favdurable  opinion  of  Qiiin son i the  public  roiod  :  be  lived 
to.ei^se  the  impression  it.hsud  made. by  many  acts'of  bene^ 
yolence,  and  kindneM  to  those. with  whom  he  'was  cooi- 
nected.  The  theatre  in  which  Quin  wms  established,  badi 
bot  the  patronage  of  the  public  in  any  degree  equal  to  its 
irival  at  Drury-lane,  nor  had  it  the  good  fortoneto  iacquire 
those  advantages  which  fashion  liberally  confers  oaits  fa* 
(vouidtes,  until  several  years  after^  The  performance%  . 
however,  though  not  equal  to  those  at  Drury-^lane,  were 

*  The  friendship  between  Mr.  Quia  into  the  room  in  a  fit  of  drnokepnessy 

'and  Mr.  Jtytn  is  well  known,  and  it  it  abused  Mr.  Ryaii,  tfi^ew  bis  sword  oa 

jM^iMthing  remarkable,  that  they  were  bim,  with  .whicb  he  made  three  fiaases 

.^jicb  at  the  same  time  embarrassed  by  before  ^yan  could  get  his  own  swofd, 

li  similar  accident.     We  have  already  which  lay  in  the  window.     With  this  he 

mentioned  that' Bowen  deceived    the  defended  hims^f,   dad  wounded  Mr, 

%OQnd  which  oco98ioDed  his  death  on  il^lljr  in  the  left  side,  wbo.fell  dovo, 

the  1 7th  of  April.   On  the  2pth  of  June,  and  immediately  ex^red.     |t  does  not 

Hf  r.  Ryan  was  at  the  Sun  Eating-hbuse,  appear  that  'Mr.  Ryan  was  obliged  to 

X6Qg-acre«   at  suppei',   when   a  Mr;  take  bis  trial  for  this  ha'aiicide, 


Kelly,  who  had  before  terrified  several    jury  having  probably  brought  in  their 
•ompanies  by  drawing  his  sword  on     verdict,  self-defence.  ''   ' 

persons  whom  he  did  not  know,  came 


Q  LM  N.  439 

ftr  from  deserving  censure.     In  the  season  of  1718-19, 
Mr.  Quiti  perfbrmed  in  Buckingham's  **  Scipio  AfricantiB," 
and  m   1719-20,   "  Sir  Waltef"  Raleigh,"  in  Dr.  SeweU*« 
play  oFthiat  name;  and  in  the  year  had,  as  it  appears,  tt«Ng>i 
benefits,  "  The  ProvokM  Wife,"  31st  of  January,  befbre 
dhy  other  performer,  and  again,  **  The  Squire  of  Alsatitty'* 
on  the  17th  of  April.   The  succeeding  season  he  perform<Kl' 
ih   Buckingham's   ^<  Henry    the    Fourth   of  France,"    in 
^Richard  11."  as  altered  by  Theobald,  and  in  «Tfae  Im- 
perial Captives,"  of  Mbttley.     The  season  of  1720-21  wasT 
very  favourable  to  his  reputation  as  an  actor.     On  the  d2d 
of  October,  "  The  Merry  Wives  of  Windsor"  was  revived, 
in  which  he  first  played  FalstafF,  with  great  increase  of 
fame.     This  play,  which  was  well  supported  by  Ryai^,  iii 
Ford ;  Spiller,  in  Dr.  Caius ;  Boheme,  in  Justice  Shallow ; 
And  GrifKn,  in  Sir  Hugh  Evans ;  was  acted  nineteen  times 
during  the  season,  a  proof  that  it  had  made  a  very  favour-* 
able  impression  on  the  public.     In  the  season  of  1721-22, 
he  performed  in  Mitcheirs,  or  rather  Hill's  "  Fatal  Extra- 
vagance," Sturmy's  "  Love  and  Duty,"  Philtps's  "  Hiber*- 
nia  freed."  The  season  of  1722-3  produced  Fentoh's  "Mari^ 
simne,"  the  most  successful  play  that  theatre  bad  known,  iii 
which  Mr.  Quin  performed   Sohemus.     In  the  next  year, 
1723-24,  he  acted  in  JefFerys'  "  Edwin,"  and  in  Philips's 
**  Belisarlus.'V     The  season  of   1725  produced  no  new 
play  io  which  Mr.  Quin  had  any  part ;  but  oh  the  revival 
of  **  Every  Man  in  his  Humour,"  he  represented  Old  Kno- 
well;  and  it  is  not  unworthy  of  observation,  that  Kitely, 
afterwards  so  admirably  performed  by  Mr.  Garrick^  was  as- 
signed to  Mr.  Hippesley,  the  Shuter  or  Edwin  of  his  day. 
In  1726,  he  performed  in  Southern's  **  Money's  the  Mis- 
rress ;"  and,  in  1727,  in  Welsted's  "  Dissembled  Wanton,'* 
ihd  Frowde's  "  Fall  of  Saguntqm."  '         ' 

For  a  year  or  more  before  this  period,  Lincoln's  Inn-i 
fields^  theatre  had,  by  the  assistance  of  some  pantomime?)  as 
the  "  Necromancer,"  *♦  Harlequin  Sorcerer,"  **ApoHoand 
Daphne,"  &c:  been  morefrequ^hted  than  at  any  tinbe  since 
it  v^ras  opened.  In  the  year  lt2d^  was  offered  to  the  public 
9,  piece  which  was  so  eminently  successful,  as  since  to  have 
introduced  a  new  species  ctf  drama,  the  comic  opera,  and 
therefore  deserves  particular  notice.  This  was  *♦  The  Beg-;* 
gar's  Opera,"  first  acted  on  the  29th  of  Januarys  1728, 
Quin,  whose  knowledge  of  the  public  taste  cannot  be  ques* 
iioned,  was  so  doubtful  of  its  success  before  it:  was  at^tedj  that 
|ie  refused   the  part   of  Macheath,  which   was  therefore 


4*0  QUI  N. 

given  to  Walker.  Two  years  afterward?!  19th  of  March, 
1730,  Mr.  Quin  bad  the  "  Beggar's  Opera"  for  his  benefit, 
and  pe/fornied  the  part  of  IVfacheath  bimself,  and  received 
th^  siiai  of  206/.  9^.  6d.  which  was  several  pounds  more 
than  any  oine  njght  at  the  common  prices  had  produced  at 
that  theatre.  His  benefit  the  preceding  year  brought  him 
only  102/.  18^.  Qd.  and  the  succeeding  only  129^  3^.  OdL 
The<  season  of  1728  had  been  so  occupied  by  **  The  Beg- 
gar's Opera,'*  that  no  new  piece  was  exhibited  in  which 
Quin  perfprmed.  In  that  of  1728'^29  he  performed  in 
£arford's  "  Virgin  Queen/'  in  Madden's  "  Themistocles," 
and  in  Mrs.  Hey  wood's  '^Frederic  duke  of  Brunswick." 
In  1729-3Q  there  was  no  new  play  iq  which  he  performed. 
In  1730-31  he  assisted  in  Tr^cey's  "  Periander,"  in 
Frowde's  **  Philotas,"  in  Jeffreys'  "  Merope,"  and  in  Theo- 
bald's '^Orestes;"  and  in  the  next  season,  1731-2,  in 
Kelly's  «  Married  Philosopher." 

On  the  7th  of  December,  1732,  Covent-gardeu  theatre 
was  opened,  and  the  company  belonging  to  Lincoln' s*inn 
fields  removed  thither.  In  the  course  of  this  season,  Mr. 
Cluin  w^s  called  upon  to  exercise  his  talents  in  singing,  and 
accordingly  performed  Lycomedes,  in  Gay's  posthumous 
opera  of  '^  Achilles,"  eighteen  nights.  The  next  season 
concluded  his  service  at  Covent-garden.  At  this  juncture 
the  deaths  of  Wiiks,  Booth,  and  Oldfield,  and  the  succes- 
sion of  Gibber,  had  thrown  the  management  of  Drury-lane 
theatre  into  raw  and  unexperienced  bands.  Mr.  Highmore, 
a  gentleman  of  fortune,  who  had  been  tempted  to  inter- 
meddle in  it,  had  sustained  so  great  a  loss,  as  to  oblige  him 
to  sell  his  interest  to  the  best  bidder.  By  this  event  the 
Drury4ane  theatre  came  into  the  possession  of  Charles 
Fleetwood,  esq.  who,  it  is  said,  purchased  it  in  concert  with, 
and  at  the  reconnnendation  of  Mr.  Rich.  But  a  differeDce 
arising  between  these  gentlemen,  the  former  determined 
lo  seduce  from  his  antagonist  his  best  performer,  and  the 
principal  support  of  his  theatre.  Availing  himself  of  this 
quarre),  Mr.  Quin  left  Covent-garden,  and  in  the  begin- 
ning of  the  season  1734-^  removed  to  the  rival  theatre, 
^*  on  such  terms,"  says  Gibber,  *^  as  no  hired  actqr  had  be- 
fore received." 

During  Quiu's  connection  with  Mr.  Rich,  he  was  em- 
ployed, or  at  least  consulted,  in  the  conduct  of  the  theatre 
by  his  principal,  as  a  kind  of  deputy-manager.  While  he 
was  in  this  situation,  a  circumstance  took  place  which  hat 


a  U  I  N,  441 

been-  frequeiitly  and  variously  noticed,  and  whieh  it  may 
not  be  iiB proper  to  relate  in  tbe  words  of  tbe  writer  last> 
quoted.     ^^  When  Mr.  James  Quin  was  a  managing-actor 
under  Mr.  Rich,  at  Lincoln's-Inn-fi^ldS|  be  baid  a  wbole 
beap.pf  play  a  brought  bim»  wbicb  be  put  in  ja  drawer  in 
bis  bureau.    An  autbor  had  given  bim  a  play  .behind  the; 
scenes^   which  I  suppose  he  might  lose  or  mislay,  not: 
troubling,  bis  head  about  it.     Two  or  three  days  after,  Mr.. 
Bayes  waited  on  him,  to  know  how  be  liked  bis. play  :-*:- 
QuJA  to^d  him  some  excuse  for  its  not  being  received,  and  ■ 
the  author  desired  to  have  it  returned.      ^  There,*  says' 
Qui^,  ^  there  it  lies  .on  the  tabte.'     Tbe  autbor  ^ook.  up  a; 
play  that  was  lying  on  the  t^ble,  but  on  opening,  found  it 
was  a  comedy,  and  bis  was  a  tragedy,  and  told  :Quin  of  his: 
mistake..   ^  Faith,  then«  sir,-    said  he,  .^  I  bave  lost  your 
play.'—.*  Lost  my  play !'  cries  the  hard. — *:Yes,  I  b^ye,' 
answered  the  tragedian  ;  but  here. is  a  drawer  full  of  both, 
comedies  and  tragedies ;  take  any  two  you^  will  in  the  room 
ofit.\    The  poet  left  bim  in  high  dudgeon,  and  the  biero 
stalked  across  the  room  to  his  Spa  water  and  Rhenish,  with 
a  negligent  felicity." 

From  tbe  time  of  Quin's  establishment  at  Drury-lane 
until  the  appearance  of  Garrick  in  1741,  be  was  getierally 
allowed  the  foremost  rank  in  his  profession.  The  elder' 
Mills,  who  succeeded  to  Booth,  was  declining;  and  Mil- 
ward,  an  actor  of  some  merit,  bad  not  risen  to  tbe  height 
of  his  excellence,  which,  however,  was  not  at  the  best  very 
great ;  and  Boheme  was  dead.  His  only  competitor  seems, 
to  have  been  Delaue,  whose  merits  were  soon  lost  in  iudo* 
lent  indulgence.  In  the  Life  of  Theopbilus  Cibber,  just 
quoted,  the  character  of  this  actor,  compared  with  that  of 
Quin,  is  drawn  in  a  very  impartial  manner. 

In  the  year  1735,  Aaron  Hill,  in  a  periodical .  paper, 
called/*  The  Prompter,*'  attacked  some  of  the  principal  ac- 
tors of  the  stage,  and  particularly  Colley  Cibber  and  Mr; 
Quin.  "  Cibber,"  says  Mr.  Davies,  "  laughed,  but  Quin 
was  angry ;  and  meeting  Mr.  Hill  in  the  Court  of  Requests, 
a  scuffle  ensued  between  them,  which  ended  in  the  ex« 
change  of  a  few  blows."* 

*  The  following  8e«ais  to  be  tbe  pa-  \ng,  Bolemo  significance,  and  that  oom- 

ragraph  «hic|i  gave  offence  to  the  ac-  poted  air  and  gravity  of  yodr  motion  i 

tor:  <*  And^as  to  yoU|  Mr.  All- weight,  for  tbongh  Ihere^atises  from  all  these 

you  lose  the  advantages  of  your  deli-  good  qualities  an  esteem  that  will  con* 

berate  articulation,  distinct  ose  of  pans-  tinue  and  increase  the  number  of  your 


442 


Q  U  I  N. 


Quin  was  hardly  settled  at  brury^^Iari^  before  hi^  became 
embroiled  in  a  dispute  relative  to  Mons.  Poitier  and  Mad* 
Roland,  then  two  celebrated  danceVs,  for  whose  neglect  of 
duty  it  had  fallen  to  bis  lot  to  apologize.  On  the  1 2th  of 
Decembi^r,  the  following  fetdveitiiement  appeared  in  the 
newspapers :  f^  Wheiieas  oh  Saturday  histj  the  au'dientie  of 
the  theatre^royal  in  Drury-lane  wa^  gi^eatly  ibc^nsed  at  their 
disappotntnieiit  iti  M.  Poitier  and^  Mad.  Roland*s  ool?  dan- 
cmg,^8  their  iiamesweire  in  tbe4)nis  for  the  day  ; -and  Mn- 
Qdin,  fleeing  tio'way^appeasetbe  resentment  then-sh^wn^ 
biit  by  rdating  the  real  messages  setvt  from*  the  tfaeatife  to 
k^ow  the'  reatsonfi  why  they  did  not  come  tap^ifbraiy  and 
the  answers  returned  :  and  whereas  there  were  two  adver* 
tisements  lO  the  Daily  Post  of  Tuesday  kst^  insinuating 
that  Mi*,  (aluin  had  with  malice  accused  the 'said  Poitier  and 
Mad.  Roland  :  I  therefore  think  it  {m  justice  to  Mr:  Quin) 
incumbent  on  me  to  assure  the  public,  that  Mr.  Q,uin  has' 
cbnducted  himself  in  this  point  towards  the  aborementioned 
with  the  strictest  regard  to  truth  and  justice;,  and  as  Mr, 
Quin  has  acted  in  this  afiair  in  my  behalf,  I  think  myself 
obliged  to  return  him  thanks  for  so  doing. 

•^  CHARLfis  Fleetwood." 

After  this  declaration  no  further  notice  seems  to  have 
been  taken  of  the  fracas.  A  short  time  afterwards,  the  de- 
linquent dancers  made  their  apology  to  the  public,  and 
Were  received  into  favour. 

In  the  season  of  1735,  Quin  performed  in  Lillo^s  "  Chris- 
tian Hero,"  and '  Fieldijig's  **  Universal  Gallant ;"  and  in 
the  succeeding  one ,  he  first  performed  Falstaff  in  the 
««  Second  Part  of  Henry  IV."  for  his  own  benefit.  Irt  1787 
be  performed  in  Miller's^  "  Universal  Passion,"  and  in 
1737-8  in  the  same  author's  *^  Art  and  Nature."  It  was 
i{l  this,  season  also  that  he  performed  Comus,  and  had  the 
first  opportunity  of  promoting  the  interest  of  his  friend 


friends,  yet  those  among  them  who  wish 
best  to  your  interest,  will  be  always 
uoeasy  atobserying  perfection  so  nearly 
wilhin  yonr  reach, .  and  ypur  spirit! 
not  disposed  to  stretch  out  and  take 
possession.  ^  Td  be  alwai(s  deliberate 
and  solemn  is  an  error,  as  certainly, 
tteirgh  not  as  unpardbnably,  as  neifet 
to  be  so.  To  jmuse  where  no  pauses 
are  aeeessary,  is  the  way  to  destroy 
their  effect  where  the  sense  stawdi  in 
need  .of  their  assistance.  And,  thonsh 
dignity  is  finely  maintained    by  the 


weight  of  majestic  composure,  yet  are 
there  scenes  in  your  parts  where  the 
voice  should  be  sharp  and  impatient, 
the  look  disoidired  and.  agonised,  the 
action  precipitate  and  turbulent  i — ^for 
the  sake  of  such  difference  as  we  see  in 
some  smooth  canal,  where  the  stream 
is  scarce  yisibte,  compared  with  the 
other  end  of  the  same  canal,  rushing 
rtfpidly  down  a  cascade,  and  breaking 
btottties  wbieh-  owe  their  attraction  to 
their  Titlence." 


Q  U  I  N.  44S 

Thaoison,  in  the  bragedly  of  ^'  Agftmemnon."  Tbe  author 
Of  <^  The  Actor,"  (Dr.  Hill)  1755,  p.  235,  says  of  him  in  the 
part  of  CotDQs  :  *^  In  this  Mr.  Qusq,  by  the  force  of  dignity 
alone,  bid  all  his  natural  defects,  and  su|>ported  the  part  at 
such  a.bGiglit^  that  none  have  been  received  ia  it  since/' 
He  then  proceeds  to  particular  criticisffis,  vrhich  are  ra- 
^er  jboinbasitioal,  atid  adds:  ^^  There  was  in  all  thievery 
Ultle^  of  gesture :  the  look,  the  rievsited  posture,  and  the 
kroiv;af  i  im^esty,  ^  did  all.  This  wsff  otiost  just ;  for  as  the 
h^ro  of  tragedy  exceeds  the  gentlelBian  of  comedy,  and 
therefore' in  his  general  d«poitmeiit.is  to  use  fevrer  ges«* 
tuves ;  the  deity  of  the  snasqqe  ext^dstbe  hero  in  dignity, 
and  therefore  is  to  be  yet  more  sparing." 

He  say5  afterwards,  at  p.  1 89,  ^'The  language  of  Milton, 
the  most  sublime- of  any  in  our  tongne,  seemed  fornved  foir 
the  mouth  of  this  player^  and  he  did  justice  to  the  senti* 
meuts,  which  in  that  author  are  always  equal  to  the  Ian* 
guage*  If  he  was"  a  hero  in  Pyrrhus,  he  was^  as  ithe^Bim^ 
him,  in  Comus^  a  demi-god.  Mn  Quin  was  old  wben  he 
performed  this  pKrt,  and  hte  ndtutal' manner  grave ;  be  was 
therefore  unfit  in  common  things  for  a  youthful  god  of  re- 
vels ;  yet  did  he  command  our  attention  and  applause  in 
the  part,  in  spite  of  these  end-  all  his  other  disadvantages^ 
in  the  place  of  youth  he  had  dignity,  and  for  vivacity  he 
gave  us  grandeur.  The  author  had  connected  them  iu  the 
character;  and  whatever  young  and  spirited  player  shall 
attempt  it  after  him,  we  shall  remember  his  mannar,  feiutty 
as  it  was,  in  what  he  could  not  help ;  in  what  nature,  not 
want  of  judgment,  misrepresented  it ;  so  as  to  set  the  other 
in  contempt" 

Quin  had  the  honouir  to  enjoy  the  intimacy  and  esteem 
of  Pope  and  other  emiment  men  of  his  time.  The  friend- 
ship between  Thomson  and  him  is  yet  wHbin  the  recollec* 
tion  of  many  persons  living.  **  The  commencement  of  it,*' 
says  Dr.  Johnson,  ^*  is  very  honourable  to  Quin,  who  is  re- 
ported to  have  delivered  Thomson  (then  kiU)wn  to  him  only 
for  his  genius)  from  an  arrest,  by  a  very  considerable  pre- 
sent; and  its  continuance  is  honourable  to  both,  for  friend- 
'ship  is  not  always  the  sequel  of  obligation.^' 

The  season  tof  1738-9  produced  only  onfe  new  play  ih 
which  Quin  performed,  and  that  was  **  Mu^tapha,''  by  Mr» 
Mallet ;  which,  according  to  Mr.  levies,  was  said  to  glance 
botfar  at  the  king  and  sir  Robert  W^tpole^  in  the  characters 
of  Sdlyman  the  magnificent,  and  JR.tistaH  bik  viz>ier.    On 


\ 


444  Q  U  I  N. 

the  night  of  its  exhibition  were  ass^nbled  all. the  chiefs  in 
opp'ositioQ  to  the  court ;  and .  many  speeches  were  applied 
by  the  audience  to  the  supposed  grievances  of  the  titnes^ 
and  to  persons  and  characters.  The  play  was  in  general, 
well  acted  ;  particularly  the  parts  of  SolymaD.  and  Musta- 
pba  by  Quin  and  Milward.  Mr.  Pope  was  present  in  the 
boxeS)  and  at  the  end  of  jthe  play  went  behind  the  scenes, 
a  place  which  he  had  not  visited  for  some  years.  He  exr 
pressed  himself  well,  pleased  with  his  entertainment;  and 
particularly  addressed  himself  to  Quin,  wbo  was  .greatly 
flattered  with  the.  distinction  paid  him  by  so  great  a  man.; 
and  when  Pope*s. servant  brought  his  master^s  scarlet  doke* 
Quin  insisted  upon  the  honour  of  putting  it  on. 

It  was  in  the  year  1739,  on  the  9th  of  March,  thai  Mr. 
Quin  was  engaged  in  another  dispute  with  one  of  his  bre- 
thren ;  which  by  one  who  had  already  been  convicted  of 
manslaughter,  (however  contemptible  the  person  who:was 
the  party  in  the  differenbe  might  be)  could  not  be  viewed 
with  indifference..  This  person  was  no  other  than  the  ce- 
lebrated Mr.  Theophiins  Gibber,  who  at  that  period,  owiag 
to  some  disgraceful  circumstances  relative  to  his  conduct 
.to  his  wifi^,  was  not  held  in  the  most  respectable  light. 
Quints  sarcasm  on  him  was  too  gross  to  he  here  inserted. 
It  may,  however,  be.  read  in  the  '^  Apology  for  Mr,  Cibhier^s 
Life,!'  ascribed  to  Fielding.  The  circumstances  of  the. duel 
we  shall  relate  in  the  words  of  one  of  the  periodical  writers 
of  the. times.  ^\  About  seven  o'clock  a  duel  was  fought  in 
the  Piazza,  Covent  Garden,  between  Mr.  Quin  and  Mr. 
Cibber ;  the  former  pulling  the  latter  out  of  the  Bedford 
coffee-house,  to  answer  for  some  words  he  had  used,  in  a 
letter  to  Mr.  Fleetwood,  relating  tp  his  refusing  to  act  a 
part  in  King .  Lear  for  Mr.  Quin's  benefit  on  Thursday" 
se'nnight.  Mr.  Cibber  was  slightly  wounded  in  the  arm, 
and  Mr.  Quin  wounded  in  his  fingers  :  after  each  bad  their 
wounds  dressed,  they  came  into  the  Bedford  coffee-bouse 
and  abused  one  another ;  but  the  connpany  prevented  fur- 
ther mischief.'' 

In  the  seasoii  of  1739-40  there  was  acted  at  Drury-lane 
theatre,  on  the.  12tb  of  November,  a  tragedy,  entitled 
/*  The  Fatal  Retirement,"  by  a  Mr.  Anthony  Brown,  which 
.received  its  condemnation  on  the  first  night. .  In  tjiis  play 
Quin  had  been  solicited  to  perform,  which  he  refused  ;  and 
the  ill-success  which  attended  the  piece  irritjited.tbeautboir 
and  bis  friends. so  much,  that  they  ascribed  its  failure  ta  the 


Q  U  I  N.  44S 

absence  of  Quioi  and,  in  consequence  of  it^  repeatedly  in« 
lalted  him  for  several  nights  afterwards  when  he  appeared 
on  the  stage.  This  illiberal,  treatment  he  at  length  resented, 
and  determined  to  repel.  Coming  forward,  therefore,  he 
addressed  the  audience,  and  informed  them,  ^^  that  at  the 
request  of  the  author  he  had  read  his  piece  before  it  was 
Acted,  and  given  him  his  sincere  opinion  of  it ;  that  it  was 
the  very  worst  play  he  had  ever  read  in  his  life,  and  for 
that  reason  had  refused  to  act  in  it.'*  This  spirited  expla- 
nation was  received  with  great  applause,  and  for  the  future 
entirely  silenced  the  opposition  to  him.  In  this  season  h^ 
performed  in  Lillo's  '^  Elmerick." 

The  next  season,  that  of  1740-41,  concluded  Quints. en^ 
gagement  at  Drury-lane.  In  that  period  no  new  play  was 
produced ;  but  on  the  revival  of  *^  As  you  like  it,"  arid 
*^  The  Merchant  of  Venice,"  he  performed,  for  the  first 
time,  the  parts  of  Jaques  and  Antonio,  having  declined  the 
•paft  of  the  Jew,  which  was  offered  to  him,  and  a^ccepted  by 
•Mr.  Macklin.  The  irregular  conduct  of  the  manager,  Mr. 
Fleetwood,  was  at  this  time  such,  that  it  can  excite  but 
Jtttle  surprise  that  a  man  like  Quin  should  find  his  situation  * 
so  uneasy  as  to  be  induced  to  relinquish  it.  In  the  summer 
of  1741,  Mr.  Quin,  Mrs.  Clive,  Mr.  Ryan,  and  Mademoi- 
selle Chateauneuf,  then  esteemed  the  best  female  dancer 
in  Europe,  made  an  excursion  to  Dublin.  Quin  had  been 
tb^re  before,  in  the  month  of  June,  1739,  accompanied  by 
rMr.  GifFard,  and  received  at  his  benefit  126/.  at  that  time 
esteemed  a  great  sum. 

On  his  second  visit  Quin  opened  with  his  favourite 
part  of  Cato,  to  as  crowded  an  audience  as  the  theatre 
could  contain.  Mrs.  Clive  next  appeared  in  Lappet  in 
^^  The  Miser."  She  certainly  was  one  of  the  best  that  ever 
played  it.  And  Mr.  Ryan  came  forward  in  lago  to  Quints 
.Othello.  With  such  excellent  performers,  we  may  natu- 
rally suppose  the  plays  were  admirably  sustained.  Perhaps 
it  will  scarcely  be  credited,  that  so  finished  a  comic  actress 
as  Mrs.  Clive  could  so. far  mistake  .her  abilities,  as  to  play 
Lady  Townly  to;  Quin's  Lord  Townly  and  Mr.  Ryan's 
Manly ;  Cqrdelia  to  Quin's  Lear  and  Ryan's  Edgar,  &c. 
However  she  made  ample  amends  by  her  performance  of 
Nell,  the  Virgin  Unmasqued,  the  Country  Wife,  and  Eu» 
j)hro9yne  in  ^  Comus,"  which  was  got  up  on  purpose,  and 
acted  for  the  first  time  in  Ireland.  Quin  seems  to  have 
attended  the  Dublin  company  to  Cork  and  Limerick ;  and 


446  a  U  I  N. 

the  next  season  1941-42,  we  find  him  performing  in  Dal^^ 
lin.,  irbere  he  acted  the.  part  of  Justice  Balance  in  ^'The 
Recruiting  Officer/*  at  the  opening  of  the  theatre  in  Octo* 
ber,  on  a  government  night.  He  afterwardis  performed 
Jaquesy  Apemantus,  Richard,  Gato,  Sir  John  Brute,  and  Fal- 
MbS,  unsupported  by  any  performer  of  eminence.  In  Decem- 
ber, faawever,  Mrs.  Cibber  arrived,  and  performed  Indiana 
tOi  hia  ygung  Bevil ;  and  afterwards  they  were  frequently  in 
•tbe:  same  play,  as  in  Chamont  and  Monimia,  in  die  **  Or- 
phan r'  Comus  and  the  Lady,  Duke  and  Isabella,  in 
**  Measure  for  Measure  ;"  Fryar  and  Queen,  in  "The  Spa- 
nish Friar ;"  Horatio  and  Calista,  in  the  **  Fair  Penitent," 
j(c.  &c.  with  uncommoik  applause,  and  generally  to  crowded 
bouses.  The  state  of  the  Irish  stage  was  then  so  low,  that 
it  wad  often  found  that  the  whole  receipt  of  the  bouse  was 
not  more  than  sufficient  to  dischai^e  Quints  engagement ; 
and  so  attentive  waa.  he  to  his  own  interest,  and  so  rigid  in 
demanding  its  execution,  that  we  are  told  by  good  autho- 
jt^^  be  refused  to  let  the  curtain  be  drawn  up  till  the  money 
was  regularly  brought  to  him. 

.  He  left  Dublin  in  Feb.  1741-2,  and  on  the  23%h  9f  March 
asaisled  the  widow  and  four  children  of  Milward  the  actor 
(who  died  the  6th  of  February  preceding),  and  performed 
Cato  for  their  benefit.  On  his  arrival  in  London  he  found 
:the  attention  of  the  theatrical  public  entirely  occupied  by 
the  0ierits  of  Mr.  Garrick,  who  Un  October  preceding  had 
begun  his.  theatrical  career,  and  was  then  performiDg  with 
prodigious  success  at  Goodman^s-fields.  The  fiime  of  the 
uew  performer  afforded  no  pleasure  to  Qutn,  who  sarcasti- 
cally obsecved  that  '^  Garrick  was  a  new  religion,  and  that 
Whitefield  was  followed  for  a  time;  but 'they  would  all 
come  to  church  again.^'  This  observation  produced  a 
well^-known  epigram  by  Mr.  Garrick.  In  the  season  of 
1742-3,  Quin  retomed  to  his  former  master,^  Rich,  at  Co- 
fvent^garden  theatre,  where  be  opposed  Gairrick  at  Drury- 
Jane ;  .it  must  be  addc$d^  with  very  little suocesd.  But  though 
the  applause  i  the  latter  obtained  >  from!  the  public  was  not 
.agreeable  to  Quin^i  vetwe  find' that  ascbeme^was  proposed 
.and  agreed  to,  though  not  carried' into  ex^ecntion^  in  the 
summer  of  1743,  for  them  to  perform  together  for  their 
mutual  benefit  a  few  nightcr  at  Lineoln's-inn-fifelds  theatre.^ 
.On  the  failure  of  this  plan,  Quin  went  to  Dublin,  where  he 
bad  the  mortification  to  find  the  fame  of  Mr.  "Sberidan, 


a  U  I  N.  447 

then  neyir.to  th^/4<iige9  imore  acivers^  to  bim  than  e^eo 
Ganrick's  bad  b^Qu  m  L^ndonst,. , ,  Instead  of  making  a  pro- 
fit^le  bftrgain  io  Dublin,  as  he  hoped^  he  found  the  mana- 
gers of  the  theatres  there  {eaiirely  indispesed  to  admit  hira. 
After  staying  tb^e  a  short  time,  be  returned  to  London, 
wit|hout  effecting,  lihe  purpose  of  bis  journej^,  and  in  no 
good  humour  witb.tbe  new  performers. 

In  the  season  of  i743->4,  Quin^  we  believe,  passed  with- 
out engagement^  but.  in.  that  of  1744*5  he  was  ^t  Govent- 
garden  ags^in,  and  perforUied  King  John,  in  Cibber*8 
^'  Papal  Tyranny.*'  Tbe  next  year  seems  to  have  been 
devpt^d  to  repose  ;  whether  from  indolence,  or  inability  to 
obtain  the  terms^be  required  from  tbe  managers,  is  not  very 
apparent.  Both  may  have  united.  It  was  some  of  these 
periods  of  relaxation  that  gave  occasion  to  his  friend  Thom- 
son, who  had  beei>  gradually  writing  the  ^^  Castle  of  In- 
dolence*' for  fourteen,  or  fifteen  years,  to  introduce  him  in 
a  stanza  in  the  Mf^nsipn  of  Idleness. 

He  had  the  next  season,  1746-7,  occasion  to  exert  him- 
self^ beitig  engaged  at  Covent-garden  with  Garrick.  ^*  It 
is  not,  perhaps,'*  says  Mr.  Davies,  <<  inore  difficult  to  settle 
the  covenants  of  a  league  between  mighty  monarcbs,  than 
to  adjust  the  preliminanries  of  a  treaty  in  which  the  highland 
potent  princes  of  a  theatre  are  the  parties.  Mr.  Garrick 
.an4  Mr.  Quin  had  too  much  sense  and  tempei'  to  squabble 
about  trifles.  After  ope.  or  two  previous  and  friendly  meet- 
ingSy  they  selected  such  characters  as  they  intended  to  act, 
without  being  obliged  to  join  in  the  same  play.  Some  parts 
were  to  be  acted  alternately,  particularly  Richard  III.  and 
Othello."  The  same  writer  adds:  **  Mr.  Quin  sopn  found 
,that  his  competition  with  Mr.  Garrick,  whose  reputation 
was  hourly  increasing^  whilst  his  own  was  on  the  decline, 
would  soon  become  ineffectual.  His  Richard,  the  Third 
could  scarce  draw  together  a  decent  appearance  of  com- 
pany in  tbe  boxes,  and  he  was  with  some  difficulty  tolerated 
in  tbe  part,  when  Garrick  acted  the  same  character  to 
crowded  houses,  and  with  very  great  applause.** 

*'  The  town  often  wished  to  see  these  great  actors  fairly 
matched  in  .two  cfa^iracters  of  almost  equal  importance.  Thie 
fair  Penitent  presented  an  opportunity  to  display  their  se- 
veral merits,  though  it  must  be  owned  that  the  balance  was  as 
much  in  favour  of  Quin,  as  the  advocate  of  virtue,  is  aupe«- 
rior  in  argument  to  tbe  defender  of  profligacy.    Tbe  shouts 


448  Q  U  I  N. 

i  of  applause  when  Horatio  and  Lothario  met  on  the  stage 
-together  (14th  Nov.  1746),  in  the  second  act,  were  so  loud, 
and  so  often  repeated,  before  the  audience  permitted  them 
to  speak,  that  the  combatants  seemed  to  be  disconcerted. 
.It  was  observed,  that  Quin  changed  colour,  and  Garrick 
seemed  lo  be  embarrassed;  and  it  must  be  owned,  that 
these  actors  were  never  less  masters  of  themselves  than  on 
the  first  night  of  the  contest  for  pre-*eminence.     Quin  was 
too  proud  to  own  his  feelings  on  the  occasion;  but  Mr. 
.Garrick  was  heard  to  say,  *^  I  believe  Quin  was  as  much 
frightened  as  mytolf.*'     The  play  was  repeatedly  acted, 
and  with  constant  applause,  to  very  brilliant  audiences ; 
nor  ia  it  to  be  wondered  at ;  for,  besides  the  novelty  of  see- 
ing the  two  rival  actors  in  the  same  tragedy,  the  Fair  Peni- 
tent was  admirably  played  by  Mrs.  Gibber.'* 

It  was  in  this  season  that  Mr.'  Garrick  produced  ^'  Miss 
in  her  Teens,"  the  success  of  which  is  said  by  M^r.  Davies 
to  have  occasioned  no  small  mortification  to  Mr.  Quin.  He, 
however,  did  not  think  it  prudent  to  refuse  Mr.  Garrick's 
offer  of  performing  it  at  his  benefit ;  and  accordingly  the 
following  letter  was  prefixed  to  all  Quints  advertisements : 

"Sir, 

'^  I  am  sorry  that  my  present  bad  state  of  health  makes 
me  incapable  of  performing  so  long  and  so  laborious  a  cha- 
racter as  Jaffier  this  season.  If  you  think  my  playing  in  the 
tarce  will  be  of  the  least  service  to  you,  or  any  entertain- 
ment to  the  audience,  you  may  command 
March  25.        "  Your  bumble  servant,         D.  Garrick.** 

It  was  this  season  also  in  which  **  The  Suspicious  Hus- 
band" appeared.  The  part  of  Mr.  Strickland  was  offered  to 
Mr.  Quin,  but  be  refiised  it ;  and  in  consequence  it  fell  to 
the  lot  of  Mr.  Bridgewater,  who  obtained  great  reputation 
by  his  performance  of  it. 

At  the  end  of  the  season  Quin  retired  to  Bath,  which  he 
had  probably  chosen  already  for  his  final  retreat ;  being,  as 
he  said,  ^^  a  good  convenient  home  to  lotinge  away  the 
dregs  of  life  in."  The  manager  and  he  were  not  on  good 
terms,  and  each*seems  to  have  determined  to  remain  in 
sullen  silence  till  the  other  should  make  a  proposal:  In 
November,  however,  Quin  thought  proper  to  noake  a 
slight  jidvance ;  which  Rich  repelled,  and  Quin  remained 
therefore  during  the  winter  unemployed,  and  it  has 
been  asserted  that  Garrick  was  instrumental  in  p/eventing 
his  engagement.     The  fire  in  Cornhill,  March  1748,  gave 


Q  U  I  N.  449 

btoiy  however,  an  opportonity  at  once  of  shewing  hiniself^ 
and' Ins  readiness  to  succour  distress.  He  acted  Othello  at 
Coven t- garden,  for  the  benefit  of  the  sufferers,  having 
quitted  Bath  on  purpose,  and  produced  a  large  receipt* 
iSoon  after,  he  had  a  benefit  for  himself. 

For  the  season  of  1748-9  he  was  engaged  again,  and  on 
the  13th  of  January  1749  the  tragedy  of  Goriolanus,  by. 
Tbomson,  who  died  in  the  preceding  August,  was  brought 
out  at  Covent«garden.  Quin,  whose  intimacy  with  him 
has  been  already  mentioned,  acted  the  principal  part,  and 
spoke  the  celebrated  prologue,  written  by  lord  Lyttelton. 
When  he  pronounced  the  following  lines,  which  are  in 
themselves  pathetic,  all  the  endearments  of  a  long  friend- 
ship rose  at  once  to  his  imagination,  and  he  justified  them 
b}'  his  real  tears. 

He  lov*d  his  friends  (forgive  this  gushing  tear^ 

Ahs,  I  feel  I  am  no  actor  here  5) 

He  ]ov*d  his  friends^  with  such  a  vearmth  of  hearty 

So  clear  of  interest^  so  devoid  of  art. 

Such  generous  freedom^  such  unshaken  zeal. 

No  words  can  speak  it  —  but  our  tears  may  tell. 

A  deep  sigh  filled  up  the  judicious  break  in  the  last  line, 
and  the  audience  felt  the  complete  efi^ect  of  the  strongest 
sympathy.  About  the  same  time  Cato  was  performed  at 
Leicester-house  by  the  family  of  Frederick  prince  of  Wales,, 
and  Quin,  whom  the  prince  strongly  patronized,  was  em* 
ployed  to  instruct  the  young  performers.  "  From  his  judg- 
ment in  the  English  language,  he  was  also  engaged  to 
teach  his  present  majesty,  and  the  other  royal  children,  a 
correct  mode  of  pronunciation,  and  delivery ;  on  which  ac- 
count, when  the  theatrical  veteran  was  afterwards  informed 
of  the  graceful  manner  in  which  the  king  pronounced  his 
first  speech  in  parliament,  he  is  said  to  have  exclaimed  with 
eagerness,  *"  I  taught  the  boy  !'• 

^The  next  season  opened  with  a  very  powerful  company 
at  Covent- garden,  atid  it  is  said  that  Garrick  endeavoured,' 
but  in  vain,  to  detach  Quin  from  that  house.  His  benefit 
was  Othello,  in  which,  for  that  night,  he  acted  lago,  while 
Barry  took  the  part  of  Othello.  This  was  on  the  18th  of 
March' 175 1,  only  three  days  before  the  death  of  his  patron 
the  prince  of  Wales ;  and  the  house,  notwithstanding  th)? 
novelty  arising  from  the  change  of  parts,  was  thin.  On 
the  10th  of  May  he  performed  Horatio  in  the  Fair  Peni- 
tent, and  with  that  character  concluded  his  performances 

Vol.  XXV.  Gg 


450  Q  U  I  N. 

is  a  hired  actot«  He  now  carried  into  execation  his  plaii 
of  retiring  to  Bath,  but  visited  London  in  the  two  succeed^ 
fng  seasons,  to  perform  FalsCaff  for  the  benefit  of  his  old 
ifrtend  Ryan.  The  last  time  of  his  appearance  on  the  stage 
was  the  19th  of  March  1733,  on  which  night  the  stage,  pit, 
and  boxes,  were  all  at  the  advanced  price  of  55.  The  ne:i^t 
jear,  finding  himself  disabled  by  the  loss  of  his  teeth,  he 
declined  giving  his  former  assistance,  saying,  in  his  charac-* 
teristic  manner,  ^^  I  will  not  whistle  Falstaff  for  any  body  ; 
but  I  hope  the  town  will  be  kind  to  my  friend  Ryan ;  they 
cannot  serve  an  honester  man.''  He  exerted  himself,  how-* 
ever,  to  dispose  of  tickets  for  him,  and  continued  his  at- 
tention to  the  end  of  Ryan's  life.  Mr.  Davies  says,  in  his 
Life  of  Garricic,  that  to  make  up  the  loss  of  his  own  annual 
performance,  he  presented  his  friend  with  no  less  a  sum 
than  500/. 

Quin  bad  always  observed  a  prudent  oeconomy,'  which 
enabled  him,  while  on  the  stage,  to  assert  a  character  of  in- 
dependence, and,  when  he  quitted  it,  secured  to  him  a 
competent  provision.  There  is  no  reason  to  suppose  that 
he  repented  withdrav^ing  from  the  public  eye,  though  in 
1760  Nash  was  persuaded,  probably  by  some  wags,  to 
fancy  that  Quin  mtended  to  supplant  him  in  his  office  o| 
master  of  the  ceremonies.  Towards  the  latter  end  of  hi& 
life,  when  all  competition  for  fame  had  ceased,  he  began 
to  be  on  terms  of  friendly  intercourse  with  Garrick;  aftei; 
which  he  made  occasional  visits  to  Hampton.  It  was  on  4 
visit  there  that  an  eruption  first  appeared  in  bis  hand,  which 
fbe  physicians  feared  would  turn  to  a  mortification.  Tbisi 
was  prevented  by  large  quantities  of  bark ;  but  bis  spirita 
were  greatly  affected  by  the  apprehension,  and  when  the, 
first  danger  was  surmounted  a  fever  came  on,  of  which  he. 
died,  at  bis  house  at  Bath,  in  his  73d  year,  Jan.  21,  1766« 
When  he  found  his  last  hour  approaching,  he  said^  <*  I 
could  wish  this  last  tragic  scene  was  over,  but  I  hope  to.  go 
through  it  with  becoming  dignity," 

It  remains  to  say  a  few  words  on  the  character  of  Quin.. 
He  has  been  represented  by  some  persons  as  stern,  haughty, 
luxurious,  and  avaricious.  Dr.  Smollet,  who  probably  knew 
him  well,  says  of  him,  in  his  Humphrey  Clinker,  ^.*  How 
far  he  may  relax  in  bis  hour  .of  jollity  I  cannot  pretend  ta 
say;  but  his  general  conversation  is  .conducted,  by  "the 
Qicest  rules  of  propriety,  and  Mr.  James  Quin  is  certaii|ly 
one  of  the  best«bred  men  in  the  kingdom*  He  is  not  only  % 


d  U  I  N.  ^51 

tbtiit  agreeable  ebtnpa&ion,  but  (as  I  am  credibly  ioFormedy 
a*  VIery  honest  man;  highly  susceptible  of  friendship; 
#arii],  steady,  and  even  generous  in  his  attachments  ;  dis« 
daining  flattery,  and  incapable  of  meieinness  and  dissimu- 
lation. Were  I  to  judge,  however,  from  Quin's  eye 
alone,  I  should  take  him  to  be  proud,  insolent,  and  crueL 
Th^re  is  something  remarkably  severe  and  forbidding  in 
his  aspect,  and  I  have  been  told  he  was  ever  disposed  to 
fnsult  his  inferiors  and  dependents.  Perhaps  that  report 
has  influenced  my  opinion  of  his  looks. — ^You  know  we  are 
the  fools  of  prejudice."  It  appears  that  the  unfavourable 
parts  of  his  character  have  been  generally  exaggerated^' 
end  that  he'  had  many  excellent  qualities.  His  wit  was 
strong,  but  frequently  coarse,  though  it  is  probable  that 
many  of  the  gross  things  which  have  been  repeated  as  his, 
have  been  invented  to  suit  his  supposed  manner.  Perhaps 
(he  following  character,  which  is  said  to  have  been  written 
by  one  of  the  last  of  bis  friends,  approaches  more  nearly 

to  truth  than  anV  other. 

•  if  « 

'  **  Mr.  Quin  was  a  man  of  strong,  pointed  sense,  with 
litrong  passions  and  a  bad  temiper  ;  yet  in  good-humour  he 
was  an  excellent  companion,  and  better  bred  than  many 
who  valued  themselves  upon  good-manners.  It  is  true, 
when  he  drank  freely,  which  was  often  the  case,  he  forgot 
himself,  and  there  was  a  sediment  of  brutality  in  him  when 
you  shook  the  bottle ;  but  he  made  you  ample  amends  by 
his  pleasantry  and  good  sense  when  he  was  sober.  He  told 
a  story  admirably  and  concisely,  and  his  expressions  were 
strongly  marked ;  however,  he  often  had  an  assumed  cha* 
racter,  and  spoke  in  blank  verse,  which  procured  him  re- 
spect ifrom  some,  but  exposed  him  to  ridicule  from  others, 
who  had  discernment  to  see  through  his  pomp  and  aflFecta- 
tion.  He  was  sensual,  and  loved  good  eating,  but  not  so 
much  as  was  generally  reported  with  some  exaggeration  i 
and  he  was  luxurious  in  his  descriptions  of  those  turtle  and 
yenison  feasts  to  which  he  was  invited.  He  was  in  his 
dealing  a  very  honebt'fair  man,  yet  he  understood  his  in- 
terest, knew  how  to  deal  with  the  inanagers,  and  never 
tnade  a  bad  bargain  with  them ;  in  truth,  it  was  not  an 
jeasy  matter  to  over^-reach  a  man  of  his  capacity  and  pene- 
tration, united  with  a  knowledge  of  mankind.  He  was 
hot  so  miach  an  ill-natured  as  an  jU-humoured  man,  and 
he  was  capable  of  friendship.  His  airs  of  importance  and 
his  gait  waft  iibattrd ;  so  that  he  might  be  s«d  to  walk  in 

0  6  2 


458.  Q  U  I  N. 

blank  verse  as  well  as  talk ;  but  bis  good  sense  corrected 
hinoi  and  he  did  not  continue  long:  in  the  Bts. .  I  ha^e. 
heard  bim  represented  as  a  cringing  fawning  fellow  to  lords 
and  great  men,  but  I  could  never  discover  .that  mean  dis* 
position  in  him.  I  observed  he  was  decent  and  respectful 
in  high  company,  and  had  a  very  proper  behaviour,  with- 
out arrogance  or  diffidence,  which  made  him  more  cir- 
cumspect and  consequently  less  entertaining.  He  was 
not  a  deep  scholar,  but  he  seemed  well  acquainted  with  the 
works  of  Dryden,  Milton,  and  Pope ;  and  he  made  a  better 
figure  in  company,  with  his  stock  of  reading,  than  any  of 
the  literary  persons  I  have  seen  bim  with. 

**  It  has  been  the  fashion  of  late  to  run  down  his  theatri- 
cal character ;  but  he  stands  unrivalled  in  his  comic  parts 
of  Falstaff,  the  Spanish  Fryar,  Volpone,  Sir  John  Brute, 
&c.  and  surely  be  had  merit  in  Cato,  Pierre,  Zanga,  Co- 
riolanus,  and  those  stern  manly  characters  which  are  now 
lost  to  our.  stage.  He  excelled  where  grief  was  too  big  for 
utterance,  and  be  had  strong  feelings,  though  Churchill 
has  pronounced  that  he  had  none.  He  had  defects,  and 
some  bad  habits,  which  he  contracted  early,  and  which 
were  incurable  in  him  as  an  actor .^' '  , 

QUINAULT  (Philip),  a  celebrated  French  poet,  wae^ 
born  in  1636,  and  was  one  of  a  family  that  had  produced 
some  dramatic  performers.  He  had  but  little  education, 
end  is  said  to  have  been  servant  to  Tristan  D^Hermile, 
from  whom  he  imbibed  some  taste  for  poetry.  The  lessons 
of  Tristan  were  probably  of  some  use  to  him,  as  that  au- 
thor had  had  long  experience  in  theatrical  matters ;  but 
Quinault  owed  still  more  to  nature.  Before  be  was  twenty 
years  old,  he  had  distinguished  himself  by  several  pieces 
lor  the  stage,  which  had  considerable  success :  and  before 
he  was  thirty,  he  produced  sixteen  dramas,  some  of  which- 
were  well  received,  but  not  all  equally.  It  is  supposed 
that  some  of  these  early  pieces  prejudiced  Boileau  again3t 
Cluinault  early  in  bis  career.  There  was  neither  regularity 
in  the  plan,  nor  JForce  in  the  style :  romantic  lovers  and 
common-place  gallantry,  in  scenes  which  required  a  ner- 
vous pencil  and  vigorous  colouring.  These  were  defects 
not  likely  to  escape  the  lash  of  the  French  Juvenal.  Hq 
Covered  the  young  poet  with  ridicule ;  reproached  .him  with 
the  affectedly  soft  and  languishing  dialogue  of  his  lovfsrs^by 
whom  even  /  ^z^rj/(7U  was  said  tenderly. 

I  Lif«  flfiQain,  1766,  8ro.^DaYin*  Life  of  6«iidl|  kc. 


a  U  I  N  A  0  L  T.  453 

*  Quinaulty  born  with  great  sensibility,  was  so  wounded 
by  his  severity,  that  he  applied  to  the  magistrates,  not  only 
to  silence  Boileau,  but  oblige  him  to  remove  his  name  from^ 
his  satires;  but  the  attempt  was  vain  ;  and  it  was  not  till 
fifter  Quinauit  was  inlisted  by  Lulli  to  write  for  the  opera, 
chat  he  silenced  all  his  enemies,  except  Boileau  and  his 
party,  who  envied  him  bis  success.  The  French  nation 
knew  no  better  music  than  that  of  Lulli,  and  thought  it 
dmne.  Quinault^s  was  thought  of  secondary  merit,  till 
after  his  decease;  and  then,  in  proportion  as  the  glory  of 
Lulli  faded,  that  of  Quinault*  increased.  After  this  his 
writings  began  to  be  examined  and  felt ;  and  of  late  years, 
fais  name  is  never  mentioned  by  his  countrymen  without 

*  commendation-  His  operas,  however,  though  admirable 
to  read,  are  ill-calculated  for  modern  music ; '  and  are 
obliged  to  be  niew  written,  ere  they  can  be  new  set,  even 
in  France.  Marmontel,  who  had  modernized  several  of 
thetn  for  Piccini  to  set  in  1788,  gave  M.  Laborde  a  dis$er-» 
tation  on  the  dramatic  writitigs  of  Quinault  for .  music ; 
which  i^  published  in  the  fourth  volume  of  his  **  Essai  sur 
la  Musique.'^  He  begins  by  asserting  that  Quinault  was 
the  creator  of  the  French  opera  upon  the  most  beautiful 
idea  that  could  be  conceived ;  an  idea  which  he  had  rea- 
lized with  a  superiority  of  talent,  which'  no  writer  has 
since  approached.  His  design  was  to  form  an  exhibition, 
composed  of  the  prodigies  of  all  the  arcs ;  to  unite  on  the 
same  stage  all  that  can  interest  the  mind,  the  imagination, 
and  the  senses.  For  this  purpose  a  species  of  tragedy  is 
necessary,  that  shall  be  sufficiently  touching  to  move,  but 
not  so  austere  as  to  refuse  the  enchantments  of  the  arts 
that  are  necessary  to  embellish  it.  Historicar tragedy^  in 
its  majestic  and' gloomy  simplicity,  cannot  be  sung  with 
any  degree  of  probability,  nor  mixed  with  festivals  and 
dances,  or  'be  rendered  susceptible  of  that  variety,  mag- 
nificence, show,  and  decoration,  where  the  painter  and 
the  machinist  ought  to  exhibit  their  enchantments. 

*  All  tb^  wits -of  the  time  tried  to  write  down  Quinault. 
Ignorant  of  music  and  its  powers,  tbey  thought  LulliaJways 
right,  and  the  poor,  modest,  unpretending  Quinault  always 
wrong.  Posterity  has  long  discovered  the  converse  of  this 
supposition  to  be  the  truth.  Quinault's  great  mistake  and 
misfortune,  says  L^  Harpe,  was  the  calling,  his  pieces  tra- 
gedies, and  not  operas.     He  would  not  then   have  been 

•  regarded  as  a  rival  of  Raoine,  or  have  oflfended  classical 


4SA  Q  U  I  N  A  t;  L  T. 

bearers  or  readers  with  the  little  resemblance  these  com- 
positions had  to  Greek  and  Roman  drama39  or  to  the  ge<- 
nuine  tragedies  of  the  moderns.} 

Quinaulty  however,  was  not  without  his  consolations^ 
Louis  XIV.  gave  him  a  pension  of  2000  livres ;  he  re* 
ceived  4000  livres  from  Luili  for  each  opera,  and  he  mar^' 
ried  a  rich  wife.  He  was  also  elected  into  the  Fre^ph 
academy;  and,  in  the  name  of  that  society,  addresaoi 
the  king  on  his  return  from  the .  campaigns  of;  1675  and 
1677.  He  was  a  man  of  a  mild  conciliating  temper^  and 
much  respected  in  society.  When  sickness  came  pH)  he 
lamented  the  loss  of  the  time  he  bad  bestowed  on  his 
operas,  and  resolved  to  write  no  more  poetry,  uip^les^.to 
celebrate  the  king,  or  for  the  glory  of  God.  .  His  couutry* 
men  assure  us  that  he  died  with  fervent  sentiments  of  xelu 
gion  and  piety,  Nov.  2&,  1688,  in  the  fifty-third  year  of  bis 
age.  His  works,  consisting  of  his  operas,  some  epigrams 
and  miscellaneous  poetry,  were  printed  in  1739,  3  vols* 
ismo.*  .    .   .: 

QUINQUARBOREUS,  or,  in  Frcinch^  CINQ-ARBBES 
(John),  ,a  learned  Hebrew  scholar,  was  born  at  Amrillaci  in 
Auvergne,  about  the  beginning  of  the  aixteenlii  century. 
He  studied,  the  Oriental  languages  under  FrciBcis  Vata^le, 
and  became  professor  of  Hebrew  and  Syriac  i^  the  college 
of  France  in  1554,  and  dean  of  the  royal  professors,  which 
high  office  he  held  at  the  time  of  his  death  m  1587.  In 
1546  he  published  his  *^  Hebrew  Grammar,*'  to  which  was 
added  a  short  treatise  on  the  Hebrew  poifits.  Thi^  was 
often  rieprinted  both  in  France  and  elsewhere  in  4^0,  under 
the  title  *^  Linguas  Hebraic^e  institutiones  absoluMssimo^'^ 
^The  edition  of  1609,  by  father  Vign^l,  besides*  Valuable 
additions,  a. treatise  on  Hebrew  poetry  and  syntax,  has 
the  advantage  of  a  mpsi  beautiful  type,  xast  by  Leb^. 
Quinquarboreus .  transited  into  Latin,  with  notes^  the 
<^  Targum  of  Jonathan,  sonof  Uziel,^  on  Jeremiah/'  which 
was  published  in  14149,  and  ag^n  in  J  556,  4.to,  witbaddi-« 
tions,  and  the  title  ^VTarguin  in  Osfiao,'  Joelein^;Aflio* 
sum,''  &c.  He  also  published  in  1551  the  gpspel  of  St^ 
Matthew  in  Hebrew,  with  the  version  and  note»  of  Sebas-^ 
tian  Munster,  at)d  translated  into  Latin  several  of  the 
works  of  Avicenna.' 

1  NictroD,  Tol.  XXXIU.-'-Cbaufepie.— PerrauU'g  Les  Hoiitmes  XUa«.tre9.— >, 
0r'.  Bttrney  in  Rees's  Cyciopasdia. 
s  Moferi.-r'^<^  •Biog.  UniT.  injurtt.Citq^agbre^ 


Q  U  I  N  T  I  L  I  A  Ni  4SS 

*  CtUINTFLrAN  (Marcus  Fabius),  an  illastriaus  rheto-: 
rician  and  critic  of  antiquity,  add  a  most  excellent  author, 
was  born  in  the  beginning  of  the  reig^  of  Claudius  Caesari 
about  the  year  of  Christ  42.  Ausonias  calls  him  Hispa- 
nam  and  Calagurritanum  ;  whence  it  has  usually  been  sup-* 
posed  that  he  was  a  native  of  Calagurra,  or  Calahorra,  int 
Spain.  It  is,  however,  certain  that  he  was  sent  to  Rome, 
even  in  bis  childhood,  where  he  was  educated,  applying 
himself  particularly  to  the  cultivation  of  the  art  of  oratory. 
In  the  year  61  Galba  was  sent  by  the  emperor  Nero  intd 
Spain,  as  governor  of  oife  of  the  provinces .  there ;  and 
Qointilian,  being  then  nineteen  years  old,  is  supposed  to; 
have  attended  him,  and  to  have  taught  rhetoric  in  the  city 
of  Calagurra  while  Galba  continued  in  Spain.  Hence  it  is, 
according  to  some,  that  he  was  called  Calagurritarius,  arid 
not  from  his  being  born  in  that  city-;  and  they  insist  that 
he  was  born  in  Rome,  all  his  kindred  and  connections  be-i 
longing  to  that  city,  and  his  whole  life  from  his  infancy 
being  spent  there,  except  the  seven  years  of  Galba's  gb^ 
Temment  in  Spain  ;  bat  we  are  notof  i^pinioit  that  the  me- 
morable lin0  of  Martial,  addressing  him  **  Gloria  Romans?^ 
Quiutiliane,  toge,**  greatly  favours  such  a  supposition.  *■ 

In  tbe  year  69,  upon  the  death  of  Nero^  OaHya  returned 
to  Rome,  and  took  Quintilian  with  him ;  who  there  taught 
rhetoric  at  the  eicp^nce  of  the  government,  being  allowed 
a  salary  ont  of  the  public  treasury.  His  career  was  at- 
tended with  the  highest  reputation,  and  he  formed  many 
excellent  orators,  who  did  him  great  honour ;  am6ng  whom 
was  the  younger  Pliny^  who  continued  iti  his  school  to  thcf 
year  78.  After  teaching  for  twenty  years  he  obtained 
leave  of  Domitian  to  retire,  and  applied  himself  to  com- 
pose hU  admirable  book  called  ^*  Institutiones  Oiratorise.** 
This  is  the  most  complete  work  of  its  kind  which  antiquity 
has  left  us ;  and  tbe  design  of  it*is  to  form  a  perfect  orator; 
who  is  accordingly  conducted  through  the  whole  process 
necessary  to  attain  eminence  in  that  art.  Few  books  abound 
more  with  good  sense,  or  discover  a  greater  degree  6f  just 
and  accurate  taste.  Almost  all  the  principles  of  good  cri* 
ticism  are  to  be  found  in  it.  He  has  digested  into  excellent 
order  all  the  ancient  ideas  concerning  rhetoric,  and  is  at 
the  same  time  himself  an  eloquent  writer.  ^  Though 
some  parts  of  his  work,'*  says  Blair,  **  contain  too  much  of 
the  technical  and  artificial  system  then  In  vogue,  and  for 
that  reason  may  be  thongbt  dry  and  tedious^  yet  I  would 


456  Q  U  I  N  T  I  L  I  A  N. 

Qot  advise  the  omitting  to  rekd  any  part  of  his^Institti* 
tious,'      To  pleaders  at   the  bar,   evea    these   technical 
parts  may  prove  of  some  use.     Seldom  has  a:ny  person-  of 
tnore  sound  and  distinct  judgment  than  Quintilian,  appUed 
himself  to  the  study  of  the  art  of  oratory.'*    The  firit  entire 
copy  of  the  **  Institationes  Oratoriae,"  for  the  Quiuiilian 
then   in   Italy 'was  much  mutilated  and   imp^erfect,.  was 
discovered  by  Poggius,  as  we  have  already  noticedf  in.  his 
article,  in  the  monastery  of  St.  Gall,  at  the  time  of  holding 
the  council  of  Constance.     The  most  useful  editions  of  this 
work  are  those  of  Burman,  1 720,  2  vols.  4to ;  of  Cappero- 
nerius,  Paris,  foL  1725;  of  Gesner,  Crottingen,  17S8,  4tx>y 
^  beautifully  reprinted  in  1 805,  at  Oxford,  2  vols.  8vo.    . 
Quintilian  not  only  laid  down  rules  for  just  speaking,  but 
exhibited  also  his  eloquence  at  the  bar.-    He  pleaded,  ^s 
be  himself  tells  us,  for  queen  Berenice  in  her  presence^ 
^od  grew  into  &uch  high  repute  that  his  pleadings  were 
written  down  in  order  to  be  frequently  transcribed  and  circu- 
lated, but  these  were  executed  in  a  very  erroneous  manner. 
The  '^  Declamationes,'*  which  still  go  under  his  name,  and 
have  frequently  been  printed  with  the  **  InstituCiones  Ora- 
tories,'' are  of  doubtful  authority.     Burman  tells  us  in  his 
^preface,  that  be  subjoined  them  to  his  edition,  not  because 
ihey  were  worthy  of  any  time  and  pains,  but  that  nothing 
might  seem  wanting  to  the  curious.     He  will  not.  allow 
them  to  be  Quintilian's,  but  subscribes  to  the  judgment  of 
those  critics,  who  suppose  them  to  be  the  productions  of 
diiferent  rhetoricians  in  different  ages;  since,  though  none 
of  them  can  be  thought  excellent,  some  are  rather  more 
elegant  than  others.  \      ■      .    i    . 

.  The  anonymous  dialogue  ''  I>e  Oratoribus,  sive  de  causis 
corruptsB  eloquentis,"  has  sometimes  been  printed  ^ith 
Quintilian's  works ;  yet  is  generally  ascribed  to  Tacitus, 
and  is  commonly  printed  with  the  works  of  that  historian ; 
aqd  the  late  Mr.  Melmoth,  in  his  <^  Fitzosborne-s  Letters, 
seems  inclined  to  give  it  to  the  younger  Pliny ;  '^  because, 
says  he,  ^^  it  exactly  coincides  with  his  age,  is  addressed 
to  one  of  his  particular  friends  and  correspondents,  and  is 
marked  with  some  similar  expressions  and  sentiments. •.  But 
as  arguments  of  this  kind  are  always  i|iore  imposing  than 
solid,"  he  wisely  leaves  it  as  *'  a  piece,  concerning  the 
author  of  which  nothing  satisfactory  can  be  collected,"  only 
f^  that  it  is  evidently  a  composition  of  that  period  in  which 
he  flourished,"    It  was  ascribed  to  Quiotilian^  because  he 


QtriNTILIAN.  457 

octoally  wrote  a  book  upon  tbe  same  subject,  and  with  the 
same  title,  as  he  himself  declares  :  yet  tbe  critics  are  con- 
Ttnced  by  sufficient  arguments,  that  the  dialogue,  or  rather 
ifraguient  of  a  dialogue^  now  extant,  is  not  that  of  which 
Qnintilian  speaks. 

<  Qatntitian  spent  the  latter  part  of  his  life  with  great  dig- 
nity and  honoun     Some  imagine  that  he  was  consul ;  but 
the  words  of  Ausonius,  on  which  they  ground  their  sup- 
position, shew  that  he  did  not  possess  the  consulship,  but 
only  tbe  consular  ornaments ;  ^^  honestamenta  nominis  po- 
tsusquam  insignia  potestati&'/Vand  we  may  add,  that  no 
menlioti  is  made  of  his  name  in  the  ^*  Fasti  Consulares.'* 
It  is  certain  that  he  was  preceptor  to  the  grandsons  of  the 
emperor  Domitian^s  sister.     Though  Quintilian^s  outward 
eondiiion  and  circumstances  were  prosperous  and  flourish- 
ing,  yet  he  laboured  under  many  domestic  afflictions.     In 
his  forty-first  year  he  married  a  wife  who  was  but  twelve 
years  old,  and  lost  her  when  she  was  nineteen.    He  bestows 
tbe  Inghest  applauses  on  her,  and  was  inconsolable  for  her 
loss.     She  left  him  two  sons,  one  of  whom  died  at  five  years 
old,  ,and  the  other  at  ten,  who  was  the  eldest,  and  pos- 
sessed extraordinary  talents.    He  soon  after,  however,  mar- 
ried a  second  wife,  and  by  her  he  had  a  daughter,  whom 
he  lived  to  see  married  ;  who  also,  at  the  time  of  her  mai^ 
Tiage,  received  a  handsome  dpwry  from  the  younger  Pliny, 
who  bad  been  his  scholar,  in  consideration,  as  we  are  told, 
that  she  was  married  to  a  person  of  superior  rank,  who  of 
course  required  more  with  her  than  ber  father^s  circum- 
stances  would  admit.     Quintilian  lived  to   be  fourscore 
years  of  age,  or  upwards,  as  is  pretty  certainly  determined  ; 
although  the  time  of  his  death  is  not  recorded.     He  ap« 
pears,  from  his  works,  and  from'  what  we  are  able  to  collect 
of.  him,  to  have  been  a  man  of  great  innocence  and  integrity 
of  life.     His  ^^  Oratorial  Institutions"  contain  a  great  num- 
ber of  excellent  moral  instructions ;  and  it  is  a  main  prin- 
ciple inculcated  in  them,  that  ^^  none  but  a  good  man  can 
oiake  a  good  orator.'' 

!  One  blemish,  however,  there  lies  upon  Quintilian's  cha- 
Tacter,  which  cannot  be  .passed  over ;  and  that  is,  his  ex- 
cessive fiattery  of  Domitian,  whom  he  calls  a  God,  and 
says,  that  he  ought  to  be  invoked  in  the  first  place.  He 
calls  him  also  a  most  holy  censor  of  manners,  and  says,  that 
there  is  in  him  a  certain  supereminent  splendour  of  virtues. 
This  sort  of  panegyric  must  needs  be  highly  offensive  to  all 


458  QUIUTILIAN. 

who  have  read  the  history  of  that  detestable  emperor :  nor 
can  any  excuse  be  made  :foc  Quintilian,  but  the  necessity 
be  was  iinder,  for  the  sake  of  self-preservation,  of  offerings 
this  incense  to  a  prince  most  greedy  of  flattery;  and  who 
might  probably  expect  it  the  more  from  one  on  whom  he 
had  conferred  particular  favours,  as  he  certainly  bad  on 
Q.nintilian.  Martial,  Statius,  and  Julius  Frontinus,  have 
flattered  this  emperor  inthe  same  manner. ' 

QUINTINIE  (John  i>£  la),  a  famous  French  gardener^ 
was  born  at  Poictiers  in  1626.  After  a  course  of  philo«^ 
soph^,  he  applied  himself  to  the  law,  and  went  to  Paris  in 
order  to  be  admitted-  an  advocate.  He  had  mnoh  natural 
eloquence,  improved  by  learning ;  alid  acquitted  himself 
80  ^vell  at  the  bar  as  to  gain  the  admiration  and  esteem  oi 
the  chief  magistrates.  Tamboneau,  president  of  the  cham- 
ber of  accounts,  being  informed  of  his  merit,  engaged  him 
to  undertake  the  preceptorship  of  his  only  son,  which  Q^in- 
tinie  executed  entirely  to  his  satisfaction ;  applying  his 
leisure  hours  in  the  mean  time  to  the  sti^y  of  agriculture^ 
towards  which  he  always  had  a  strong  inclination.  He 
re4d  Columella,  Varro,  Virgil,  and  all  authors  ancient  or 
modero,  who  had  written  on  the  subject ;  and  guned  new 
lights  by  a  journey  which  he  made  with  bis  pupil  into  Italy^ 
All  the  gardens  in  Home  and  about  it  were  open  to  him ; 
and  he  never  failed  to  make  the  ^ost  useful  observations^ 
con^antiy  joining  practice  with  theory.  On  his  return  to 
Paris,  Tamboneau  entirely  gave  up  to  him  his  garden,  to 
manage  as  he  pleased  ;  and  Quintinie  applied  himself  to 
so  intense  a  study  of  the  operations  of  nature  in  this  way^ 
that  he  soon  became  famous  all  over  France.  He  made 
many  curious  and  useful  experiments.  He  was  the  first 
who  proved  it  useless  to  join  fibres  to  the  roots  of  trees 
when  transplanted,  and  discovered  a  sure  and  infiiUible 
method  of  pruning  trees,  so  as  to  make  them  not  only  bear 
fruit,  but  bear  it  in  whatever  part  the  owner  chases^  and 
even  produce  it  equally  throughout  all  the  branches;  which 
bad  never  before  been  tried,  nor  even  believed  %6  be  pos^ 
sible.  The  prince  of  Cond^,  who  is  said  to  have  joined 
the  pacific  love  of  agriculture  to  a  restless  spirit  for  war; 
took  great  pleasure  in  conversing  with  Quintinie.  He  came 
to  England  about  1673;  and,  during  his  stay  here  paid  a 

%  Gen.  nict.«-Lire  by  Burmao, — Moreri.— SaiKii  Oaomsit*— Blair*i  Lectures, 

fatsim. 


Q  U  I  N  T  I  N  I  E.  419 

^ifltt  to  Mr.  Evely o#  who  premled  on  kim  to  cdtnmufiieftfte 
aoiae  directions  conceroing  melons,  for  the  cuhivation  of 
Mfbich  Quintinie  was  remarkably  bmous.  They  were  tran»» 
imtted  to  Mr.  Ev^elyn  from  Paris ;  and  afterwards,  in  169S^ 
published  by  him  in  (be  Philosophical  Transactions.  Gbaiies 
II.  or,  as  bis  biographers  say,  James  II«  made  Quintinie  an 
offer  of  a  considerable  pension  if  be  would  stay  and  take 
upon  him  t;he  direction  of  his  gardens  ;  but  Quiutinie  .chose 
^.  serve  his  own  king,  Louis  XIV.  who  erepted  for  him  a 
oew4Dfiiae  of.  director-general  of  all  his  majesty's  fruit  and 
i^itehen  gardens.  The  royal  gardens,  while  Quintinie 
lived,  were  the  admiration  of  the  curious ;  and  when  he 
died^^  the  king  himself  was  much  affectedi  and  could  not 
forbear  saying  to  his  widow,  that  '^  he  b^d  as  great  a  loss  as 
^e  had,  and  never  expected  to  have  it  repaired/'  Quin* 
iinie  died  very  old,  but  we  know  not  in  what  year.  Be 
greatly  improved  the  art  of  gardening,  and  transplanting 
trees :  and  his  book,i  entitled  ^*  Directions  for  the  Manage* 
ment  of  Fruit  and  Kitchen  Gardens,'*  1725,  2  vols.  4to^ 
contains  precepts  which  bavebeen  followed  by  all  Europe. ' 
•  QUINTUS(CAtAa£]i),  or  rather  Qcjintus  Smyrneus, 
waa  a  Greek  poet,  who  wrote  a  supplement  to  Homer's  Iliad| 
in  14  books,  in  which  a  relation  is  given  of  the  Trojan  war 
from  the.death  of  Hector  to  the  destruction  of  Troy.  He 
is  supposed,  from  the  style  of  his  work,  to  have  lived  in 
the  fifUi  century,  but  nothing  certain  can  be  collected  con« 
earning  his- person  and  country;  but  some  say  he  was  a  na* 
tive  of  Smyrna,  and  hence  the  name  of  Smyrneus.  His 
poem,  was  first  made  known  by  cardinal  Bessarion,  who 
discpvered.it  in  St.  Nicholas'  church,  near  Otranto  in  Ca-» 
labria,  from  which  circumstance  the  author  was  named 
Quintus  Calaber.  It  was  published  at  Venice,  by  Aldus, 
but  there  is  no  date  attached  to  the  title-page ;  it  is  sup- 
posed 'to  be  1 52 1.  The  other  editions  are  those  of  Freigiusi 
Ba^il,  1569;  of  Rhodomannus,  Hanover,  1604;  of  De 
Pauw,  Leydeo,  1734;  and  of  Bandinius,  Gr.  Lat  et  leaU 
Florence,  1765.' 

QUIRINl  (Angelo  Maria),  a  Venetian  cardinal,  cele* 
brated  as  an  historian,  a  philologer,  and  an  antiquary,  was 
born  in  1684,  or,  according  to  some  authors,  in  1680. .  He 
entered  very  early  into  an  abbey  of  Benedictines  at  Fio-^ 

1  NiceroD,  vol.  XXVII.— Perraolt's  Les  Hommes  Illustres, — Diet.  -HisU 
9  Vossiu?  de  Puet.  Grsc— Fabric.  Bibl  Gr»c.— Clarke'i^  Biblio^.  Diet. 


460  Q  U  I  R  I  N  L 

rence,  and  there  studied  with  so  much  ardour  iasr  to  lay>  in  % 
'.Tast  store  of  literature  of  every  kind,  under  Salvini,  Bellini^ 
and  other- eminent  instructors.  The  famous  Magliabeccbi 
introduced  to  him  all  foreigners  illustrious  for  Uieir  talents, 
and  it  Was  thus  that  he  became  acquainted  with  sir  Isaac 
l>Jewton  and  Montfaucon.  Not  contented  with  this  con- 
fined intercourse  with  the  learned,  he  began  to  travel  in 
!l710,'and  went  through  Germany  to  Holland^  where  he 
conversed  with  Basnage,  Le  Clerc,  Kuster,  Gronovius, 
and  Perizonius.  He  then  crossed  into  England,  where  he 
was  honourably  received  by  Bentiey,  Newton,  the  two 
Burnets,  Cave,  Potter,  and  others.  Passing  afterwards 
into  France,  he  formed  an  intimate  friendship  .with  the 
amiable  and  illustrious  Fenelon  ;  and  became  known  to  all 
the  principal  literati  of  that  country.  The  exact  account 
of  the  travels  of  Quirini  would  contain,  in  fact,  the  lite- 
rary history  of  Europe  at  that  period.  Being  raised* to  the 
dignity  of  cardinal,  be  waited  on  Benedict  XIII.  to  thank 
him  for  that  distinction.  ^Mt  is  not  for  ybu,'V  said  that 
pope,  *^  to  thank  me  for  raising  you  to  this  elevation,  it  is 
rather  my  part  to  thank  you,  for  having  by  your  merit  re* 
duced  me  to  the  necessity  of  making  you  a  cardinal/'  QjaU 
rini  spread  in  every  part  the  fame  of  his  learning,  and  of 
his  liberality.  He  was  admitted  into  almost  all  the  learned 
societies  of  Europe,  and  in  various  parts  built  cborcbea, 
and  contributed  largely  to  other  public  wdrks.  To  the  li-> 
brary  of  the  Vatican  he  presented  his  own  collection  of 
books,  which  was  so  extensive  as  to  require^the  addition  of 
a  large  room  to  contain  it.  What  iis  most  extraordinary  is, 
that  though  a  Dominican  and  a  cardinal,  he  was  of  a  most 
tolerant  disposition,  and  was'  every  where  beloved  by  the 
Protestants.  He  died  in  the  beginning  of  January  1755. 
.  His  works  are  numerous ;  among  them  we  may  notice, 
1.  ^^  Primordia  Corcyrs?,  ex  antiquissimis  monumentis  il- 
lustrata  ;*'  a  book  full  of  erudition  and  discernment.  .  The 
best  edition  is  that  of  Bresse,  1738,  4to.  2.  A  work  on 
the  Lives  of  certain  Bishops  of  Bresse,  eminent  for  sanc- 
tity. 3.  *<  Specimen  variie  Ltteraturs,  quae  in  urbe  Brixia, 
ejusque  ditione,  paulo  post  incunabula  Typographis  flore- 
bat,''  &c.  1739, 4to.  4.  An  Account  of  his  Travels,  fiill  of 
curious  and  interesting  anecdotes.  5.  A  collection  of  his 
Letters.  6.  A  sketch  of  his  own  life,  to  the  year  1 740,  Bresse, 
1749,  8vo.  7.  Cardinal  Pole's  Letters,  mentioned  in  our 
account  of  that  celebrated  ecclesiastic.    8.  An  edition  of 


Q  U  I  S  T  O  R  ?• 


461 


tbe  works  of  St.  Ephrem,  1742,  6  vols.  fol.  in  Greek,  Sy- 
rtac,  and  Latin.     With  many  smaller  produciions.^ 

QUISTORP  (John),  a  German  Lutheran  divine  and 
professor,  was  born  at  Rostock  in  1384,  and  studied  first  at 
home,  and  then  at  Berlin,  and  at  Frankfort  on  the  Oder. 
He  afterwards  travelled  through  Holland,  Brabant,  and 
Flanders,  as  tutor  to  the  son  of  a  patrician  of  Lubeck.  In 
1614,  his  learnin]^  and  abilities  having  pointed  him  out  as 
a -fit  person  to  fill  the  divinity  chair  at  Rostock,  he  was 
created  doctor  of  divinity,  and  paid  a  visit  to  the  univer*- 
sities  of  Leipsic,  Wirtemberg,  Jena,  &c.  He  obtained 
other  preferments  in  the  church,  particularly  the  arch- 
deafconry  of- St.  Mary's  at  Rostock.  In  1645,  he  was  ap-' 
pointed  pastor  of  the  same  church,  and  superintendant.of 
tbe  churches  in  the  district  of  that  city.  During  Grotius's 
last  fatal  illness  at  Rostock  be  was  called  in  as  a  clergy-* 
man,  and  from  him  we  have  the  particulars  of  the  last  mo* 
roents  of  ^that  celebrated  scholar ;  some  of  which  particu*^ 
lars,  Barigny  informs  us,  were  misrepresented  or  misunder*- 
stood.  Quistorp  died  May  2,  1 64 S,  at  the  age  of- sixty- 
four.  He  was  the  author  of  *<  Annotationes  in  omnes  Li- 
bros  Biblioos;''  ^' Commentarius  in  Epistolas  Sanoti  Pauli,*' 
and  several  other  works.  He  left  a  son  of  'the  same  name^ 
who  was  born  at  Rostock  in  1624,  and  died  in  1669.  He 
became  pastor,  professor  of  divinity,  and  rector  of  tbe  uni« 
versity  of  that  city,  and  publisfhed  some  works,  ^^  Cate*^ 
ch^sis  'Anti-papistica,''  **  Pia  desideria,"  &c.  Another 
John  '  Nicholas  '  Quistorp,  probably  of '  the  same:  family, 
died,  in  1715,  and  left  some  works  on  controversial  sub* 
jects.* 


1  Diet.  Qitt^— Moreri. 


•"Morcri. — Diet,  Hist.  / 


(     462     ) 


R. 


R 


.ABANUS  MAURUS  (Magnentic78)»  a  celebrated  ireh* 
bbfaop  of  MentZy  and  one  of  tbe  most  learned  divinea  in 
the  nintb  century,  veas  born  in  the  year  785  at  Metitz,  ov 
mther  at  Fulda,  and  descended  from  one  of  tbe  most  noble 
£uDilie8  in  that  country.  Mackeuziei  iiowever^  ba»  iii"i 
serted  bim  among  bis  ^cotcb  writers,  but  without  n»uch 
Apparent  authority.  The. parents  of  Rabdnus  sent, bim,  at 
ten  years  old,  to  tbe  monastery  of  Fulda,  where  be  was  in« 
str^cted  in  learning  and  virtue,  and  afterwards  studied 
under  tbe  famous  AJcuinus,  at  Tours.  In  this  ^tuation  he 
made  so  rapid  a  progress,  as  to  acquire  great  reputation 
from  bis  writings  at  tbe  age  of  thirty.  On  his  return  to 
Fulda  he  was  chosen  abbot  there,  and  reconciled  the  empe- 
ror Louis  le  D^bounairet  to  his  children^  ,Rabanu$  wrote  a 
tetter  of  consolation  to  ibis  prince  wben  unjustly  deposedi 
and  published  a  tract  on  the  respect  due  from  childrei^  to 
their  parents,  tad  from  subjects  to  tbeir  princes^  which 
may  be  found  in  **  Marca  de  OoncordiV  published  by 
Balu2e.*  ,He  succeeded  Orgar,  arohbisbop  of  Mentis^  in 
the  yeat  847,  biit  was  so  much  a  bigot,  ais  to  procure  tbe 
condemnation  of  Godesdhale.  >  He  died  at  bis  estate  of 
Winsel,  in  tbe  year  856,  aged  sixty-eight,  after  having 
bequeathed  his  library  to  the  abbeys  of  Fulda  and  St.  AU 
ban's,  leaving  a  great  number  of  works  printed  at  Cologn, 
1627,  6  vols,  in  3  fdio.  The  piincipal  afre^  1;  <'  Com- 
mentaries on  the  Holy  Scriptures,^'  the  greatest  part  of 
which  are  mere  extracts  from  the  fathers,  as  was  tbe  usual 
method  among  commentators  in  his  time.  2.  A  poem  in 
honour  of  the  holy  cross,  of  which  there  is  a  neat  edition 
printed  at  Augsburg,  1605,  in  folio;  but  the  most  rare  ia 
that  printed  at  Phorcheim,  in  adibus  Thoma  Anstlim^  150S, 
curiously  ornamented.  Of  the  frontispiece  the  first  figure 
is  that  of  Albinus,  abbot  of  Fulda,  who  presents  Rabanus 
to  the  pope,  with  a  poetical  piece  entitled  ^'  Intercessio 
Albini;*'  Rabanus  appears  next,  presenting  his  book  to 
the  pope,  with  a  poetical  piece,  entitled'^'  Commendatio 
Papse."    Then  follows  a  kind  of  dedication  to  the  emperor 


R  A  B  A  N  U  S.  4«S 

• 

L6uis  le.D^boiinau^  who  is  delineated '  on  tliis  dedication 
holding  a  shield  in  one  hand,  and  a  cross  in  the  other,  his 
head  sorrounded  with  glory ;  all  the  letters  comprised  in 
these  ornamented  lines,  form  a  discourse  foreign  to  the 
dedication*  The  poem  is  in  the  same  style ;  on  each  of 
the  28  pages  of  which  it  consists,  are  figures  of  the  cross, 
stars,  cherubim,  seraphim,  &c.  The  last  represents  a 
erosa^  with  the  author  adoring  it ;  the  letters  comprised  in 
this  cross  form  various  pious  exclamations.  3.  A  treatise 
on  *'  the  Instruction  of  the  Clergy.'*     4.  A  treatise  on 

V  the  Ecclesiastical  Cidendar,*'  in  which  he  points  out  the 
method  of  distinguishing  the  leap  years,  and  marking  the 
ifidictioiis.  5.  A  book  <<  on  the  sight  of  God,  purity  of 
heart,  and  the  manner  of  doing  penance."  €.  A  large 
work,  entitled  ^*  De  Universe,  sive  Etymologiarum  Opus.*^ 
7.  '*  Homilies."  8.  <<  A  Martyrology,"  &c.  But  a  treatise 
on  *^  Vices  and  Virtues,"  which  is  attributed  to  Rabanus 
Maurus,  .was  written  by  Halitgartus  bishop  of  Orleans. 
Hia  treatise  '^  against  the  Jews,"  may  be  found  in  Mar-^ 
tonne's  '*  Thesaurus;"  and  some  other  small  tracts  in  the 

V  Miscellanea"  of  Balqze,  and  Father  Shrmond's  works. 
Rabanus  was  unquestionably  one  of  the  most  learned 
men  of  his  i^e^  and  his  character  in  this  respect  has  been 
highly  extolled  both  by  Dupin  and  M osheim.  ^ 

RABELAIS  (F&ANCis),  a  celebrated  French  wit,  was 
die  son  <tf  an  apothecary,  and  born  about  1483,  at  Chinon, 
in  the  province  of  Touraine.  He  was  bred  up  in  a  convent 
of  Franciscan  friars  in  Poictou,  the  convent  of  Fontenai- 
le^Conte,  and  received  into  their  order.  His  strong  in^ 
clination  and  taste  for  literature  and  the  sciences  made  binx 
transcend  the  bounds  which  restrained  the  learned  in  his 
» ^mes ;  so  that  he  not  only  became  a  great  linguist,  but  an 
a^ept  in  all  branches  of  knowledge.  His  uncommon  ca^ 
pacity  and  merit  soon  excited  the  jealousy  of  bis  brethren. 
Hence  he  was  envied  by  some ;  others,  dirough  ignorance; 
thought  him  a  conjuror ;  and  all  hated  and  abused  him, 
particularly  because  he  studied  Greek ;  the  novelty  of  that 
language  making  diem  esteem  it,  not  only  barbarous,  bat 
anticbristian.  This  we  collect  from  a  Greek  epistle  of  Bu^ 
dsBUs  to  Rabelais,  in  which  he  praises  him  highly  for  his 
great  knowledge  in  that  tongue,  and  exclaims  against  the 
•tupidity  and  malice  of  the  friars. 

4.     }  Papiii.-*M«slwiaB.<— Morer'u-rMsckeszie's  tires,  fol.  I.  p.. 81, 


464  RABELAIS. 

Having  endured  their  persecatiofis  for  a  long'  ttoie,  h^ 
obtaineii  permission  of  pope  Clement  VII.  to  leave  the  so* 
ciety  of  St  Francis,  and  to  enter  into  that  of  St.  Benedict ; 
but  his  mercurial  temper  prevailipg,  he  did  not  find  any^ 
more  satisfaction  among  the  Benedictines,  than  he  had 
found  among  the  Franciscans,  so  that  after  a  short  time  he 
left  them  also.  Changing  the  regular  habit  for  that  whicb 
is  worn  by  secular  priests,  he  rambled  up  and  down  for 
a  while ;  and  then  fixed  at  Montpeilier,  where  he  took  the 
degrees  in  phytic,  and  practised  with  great  reputation* 
He  was  universally  admired  for  his  wit  and  great  learning,' 
and  became  a  man  of  such  estimation,  that,  the  university 
of  that  place,  when  deprived  of  its  privileges^  deputed  him 
to  Paris  to  obtain  the  restitution  of  them,  by  ap[ilication  to 
the  chancellor  Du  Prat,  who.  was  so  pleased  with  him,  and 
80  much  admired  his  accomplishments,  that  he  easily  granted 
all  that  he  solicited.  He  returned  to  Montpeilier ;  and  the 
service  he  did  the  university  upon  this  occasion,  is  given 
as  a  reason  why  all  the  candidates  for  degrees  in  physic 
there,  are,  upon,  their  admission  to.thiem,  formally  invested 
witli  a  robe,  which  Rabelais  left ;  this  ceremony  having 
been  instituted  in  honour  of  him. 

In  1532,  he  published  at  Lyons  some  pieces  of  Hippo*' 
crates  and  Galen,  with  a  dedication  to  the  bishop  of  Maile^ 
zais ;  in  which  be  tells  him,  that  he  had  read  lectures  .upon 
the  aphorisms  of  Hippocrates,  and  the  '^ars  medicaV  of 
Galen,  before  numerous  audiences  in  the  .university  o£ 
Montpeilier.  This  was  the  last  year,  of  his  continuance  ia* 
that  place;  for  the  year  after  be  went  to  Lyons,  .where  he 
became  physician  to  the  hospital,  and  joined  lectures  with 
practice  for  some  years  following. .  John  du  Bellay,  bi*: 
shop  of  Paris,  and  afterwards  cardinal,  with  whom  he  had 
been  acquainted  in  bis  early  years^  going  to  Rome  in 
1534,  upon  the  business  of  Henry  VIU's  divorce  from  Ca- 
therine«of  Spain,  and  passing  through  Lyons,  carried  Ra- 
belais with  him,  in  quality  of  h\»  physician.;  who  returned 
home,  however,  in  ^bout  six  months.  He  had  sometime 
before,  quitted  his  religious  connections  for  the  sake  of 
leading  a  life  more  suitable  to  his  taste  and  humour  ^  but 
now  renewed  them,  and  in  a  second  journey  to  Rome,  ob*- 
taioed  in  153Q,  by  his. interest,  with,  some  cardinalf,  a 
brief  from  pope  Paul  III.  to.  qualify  him  for  holdieg  eccle- 
siastical benefices.  John  du  Bellay,  had  procured  the 
abi^ey  of  St.  Maur  near  Paris  to  be  secularized  i  and  into 


R  A  B  £  L  A  I  S.  M5 

Ms  was.  Rabelais,  now  a  Beriedrctin^  monk,  received  as  a 
•seeular  canon.  Here  he  is  supposed  to  have  begun  bis 
famous  romance,  entitled  <<  The  lives^  berbie  deeds,  and 
sayings  of  Gargantaa  and  PantagrueL'*  He  eo^tinued  in 
this  retreat  till  1 545,  when  Du  Bellay,  hi»  friend  and  pa** 
tron,  and  now  a  cardinal,  nominated  him*  t6  the  cure  df 
Meudon,  wfaich  he  is  said  to  bave  filljcd  with  grea^  z*eal  and 
application  to  the  end  of  his  life.  -  His  profound  knowledge 
and  skill  in  physic  made  him  doubly  ufseful  to  the  people 
under  his  care ;  and  he  was  ready  upon  all  occasions  to  re- 
lieve them  under  indispositions  of  body  as  well  as  mind. 
He  died  in  1553.  As  he  Veas  a  great  wit,  many  witticisms 
and  facetious  sayings  are 'laid  to  his  charge,  of  which  he 
knew  nothing;  and  nftany  ridiculous  Circumstanfce^  are  re- 
lated of  him  by  some  of  his  biograpUers,  to  which  probiibly 
Httle  credit  is  due. 

He  published  several  productions  ;  but  bis  chtf  d^annore 
is^^The  History  of  Gargimtua  and  Pantagruel  v^'  a  most 
extravagant  satire,  in  the  form  of  a  romance,  upon  monks, 
priests,  popes,  and  fools  and  knavesi  of  lill  kinds^  Wit  and 
learning  are  scattered  hcire  in  great  profusion, -but  in  a 
manner  so  wild  and  irreguliar,  and-  wkb-a'stt^ng- mixture  of 
obscenity,  coarse  and  puerile  jests,  prdfM^allusi^ifhs,  and 
low  raillery,  that,  while  some '  have  -  reg^ddd  h  as  afirst*- 
nte  effort  of  human  wit,  and,  like  Romeros  pdefttt,  "as  an 
inexhaustible  source  of  learning,  science,  and*  knowledge, 
others  have  affirihed  it  to  be  nothing  but  an  unit^teiligible 
rhapsody,  a  heap  of  foolish  conceits, .  without  meanings 
without  coherence^  a  collection  of  gross' riA pieties  and  ob- 
scenities. There  seems  io  be -mueh  truth -iki  both  these 
opinions,  and  throughout  the  Whole  stich'*  a*  degree  of  ob- 
scurity, where  he  is  suppfosed  to  allude  to  persona  or 
events,  that  no  commentary  can  easily  s^tfsfy  the  reader*s 
curiosity*.  The  monks,  who'Wfere  supposed  to  be  the 
chief  object  of  his  satire,  gaVe  some  opposition  to  it  when 
It  first  began  to  be  published,  for  it  was  published  by  parts 

*  Warton,  in  bis  "  Ei say  on  Pope,'*  follies  they  stigmatiz^^,    are  perished 

says,  '*  Rabelais  was  not  the  inyentor  and  uoknowa."    TWs  may  beirue»  but 

of  many  of  the  burlesque  tales  he  in*  bow  are  taste  and  virtne  improved,  or 

trodoeed  into  bit  .principal  story;  the  ▼ioe.  depressed,  throuiph  sncli  a  me- 

finest  touches  of  which,   it  is  to  be  dium  of  coarse  obscenity,  as  cannot 

feared,  have  underg^one  the  usual  and  be  read  aloud  in  any  language  ?"   We 

wmToklable  fate  of  satirical  writingc  ^  may  here  remark  ^at  Sterae   moat 

that  is,'  not  to  be  tasted  or  understood,  have  *'  given  his  days  and  nights'*  to 

when  the  Qharacters,  the  facts,  and  the  the  perasal  of  Rabelais. 

Vol.  XXV,  H  h 


466  RABELAIS. 

in  1535;  but  this  opposition  was  soon  oTermled  by  tht 
powerful  patronage  of  Rabelais  among  the  great.  The  best 
edition  of  his  works  is  that  with  cuts,  and  the  notes  of  Le 
Duchat,  5  vols.  12mO)  and  De  Monnoye,  1741,  in  3  vois> 
4to.  Mr.  Motteux  published  at)  English  translation  of  it  at 
London,  1708,  with  a  preface  and  notes,  in  which  be  en- 
deavours to  shew,  that  Rabelais  has  painted  the  history  of 
his  own  time,  under  an  ingenious  fiction  and  borrowed 
names.  Ozell  published  afterwards  a  new  translation,  with 
Duchat's  notes,  5  vols.  12mo,  printed  afterwards  in  4  vols: 
We  know  not  which  is  worst ;  in  point  of  vulgar  obscenity 
of  style,  both  are  execrableJ 

RABENER  (Theophilus  Wiluam),  a  German  satirist, 
was  born  in  1714,  at  WachaUy  an  estate  and  manor  near 
Leipsic,  of  which  his  father  was  lord.  As  he  was  educated 
for  the  law,  and  was  employed  for  the  greatest  part  of  hi^ 
life  in  public  business,  his  literary  performainces  must 
have  been  the  amusement  of  his  leisure  hours.  He-ap** 
peared  first  in  print,  in  1741,  as  an  associate  in  a  par 
riodical  work  entitled  **  Amusements  of  Wit  and  Reason,'* 
to  which  some  of  the  most  eminent  men  of  his  age  were 
contributors,  and  among  these  Gellert,  with  whcMn  he  bad 
a  lasting  friendship.  -About  this  time,  he  was  made  compr 
troUer  of  the  taxes  in  the  district  of  Leipsic,  an  office 
which  required  constant  attention,  and  obliged  him  to  be 
frequently  riding  from  place  to  place;  and  on  these  jour^ 
neys,  as  a  relaxation  from  business  of  a  very  different  kiod^ 
he  says,  in  one  of  his  letters,  all  his  satires  were  written* 
He  published  four  volumes  of  them,  and  in  his  preface  tp 
the  last,  which  is  dated  175S,  he  professes  his  resolution 
to  publish  no .  more  during  his  life.  This  determinatioo, 
he  says,  is  extorted  from  him  by  the  multiplieity  of  busi- 
ness in  which  he  is  involved,  by  the  impression  which  the 
loss  of  his  best  friends  had  made  on  his  mind,  and  by  hia 
disgust  at  the  impertinence  of  some  of  his  readers ;  wbOf 
though  he  had  avoided  every  thing  personal,  were  conti- 
nually applying  his  general  characters  to  individuals.  .  ^g 
had  then  been  made  siecretairy  to  the  board  of  taxes  at ^ 
Dresden,  and  was  afterwards  involved  in  the  calamities 
which  that  city  suffered  when  besieged  by  the  king  of  Prus- 
sia. During  this  siege,  his  house,  his  manuscripts,  and  all 
bis  property^  were  destroyed ;  which  misfortune  he  bore 

>  Lift  prefixed  te  Osell's  edition.— Cbaufepie.--Nicetf»,  vol.  XXXIL     - 


R  A  B  E  N  E  R.  467 

with  a'teiii{>er  of  mind  truly  philosophical ;  and  his  letters 
on  this  occasion,  which  were  afterwards  published  withoat 
bis  knowledge^  show  that  it  did  not  deprive  him  of  hid 
usaai  cheerfuh)ess ;  nor  did  this  disposition  deject  him  even 
in  his  last  iUuess.  He  died  of  an  apoplexy  in  March  l?"^!. 
tie  is  represented  by  his  biographer  Weiss,  as  an  amiable 
and  virtaoua  man,  strict  in  his  own  conduct,  but  indulgent 
to  that  of  others.  He  had  a  deep  sense  of  religion,  which 
be'  coald  not  bear  to  hear  ridiculed  :  and  whenever  any 
thing  of  this  kind  was  attempted  in  his  presence,  he  gene- 
rally punished  the  scoffer  with  such  sarcastic  raillery  as 
rendered  him  au  object  of  contempt.  He  was  remarkably 
temperate,  though  very  fond  of  lively  and  cheerful  convert 
satton,  in  which  be  excelled  ;  but  he  never  would  accept 
of  aQy  invitation  which  he  thought  was  given  with  a  view 
to  exhibit  him  as  a  man  of  wit,  and  he  was  averse  to  all 
compliments  paid  to  him  as  such;  he  knew  how  to  preserve 
the  respect  due  to  him  even  while  he  promoted  mirth  and . 
conviviality,  for  he  never  suffered  these  qualities  to  exceed 
the  bounds  of  virtue  and  decency. 

Rabener's  "  Satirical  Letters"  were  translated  into 
English,  and  the  French  and  other  nations  have  tranislations' 
of  some  of  his  satires,  which,  it  is  thought,  have  not  ap* 
peared  to  great  advantage.  He  seems  to  have  been  inti- 
mately acquainted  with  the  writings  of  Swift,  Pope,  and 
Arbuthnot,  which  he  appears  very  frequently  to  have  imi- 
tated ;  and  in  some  particular  places  has  translated  them. 
From  them  he  borrowed  the  idea  of  adopting,  in  some  of 
bis  pieces,  the  character  of  Martinus  Scriblerus ;  and  there' 
is  a  great  similarity  of  manner  between  his  extract  of  the 
chronicle  of  the  village  of  Querlequitscb,  and  the  *^  Me- 
moils  of  P.  P.  clerk  of  this  parish."  He  also  wrote  an  ac- 
count of  a  codicil  to  Swift*s  will,  relative  to  the  foundation 
of  an  hospital  for  fools  and  madmen,  in  which  he  appro- 
priates an  additional  wing  for  the  reception  of  Germans.^ 

RABUTIN  (Roger,  copnt  de  Bussy),  a  distinguished 
French  officer  and  wit,  was  born  April  3,  1618,  at  Epiry 
in  Nivernois,  descended  from  a  family  which  rank»  among 
the  most  noble  and  ancient  of  the  duchy  of  Burgundy. 
He  served  in  his  fat(ier's  regiment  frond  twelve  years  old, 
and  distinguished  himself  so  much  by  bis  prudent  conduct^ 
in  several  sieges  and  battles,  that  he  would  certainly  have 

1  Portraits  vf  celebrated  Gennan  literati,  17931  m  Month.  Rer.yol.  XIV.  K.  S, 

HH  2 


468  R  A  B  U  T  I  N. 

risen  to  the  rank  of  marechal,  had  he  not  as  much  dtstin^ 
^uished  himself  by  indiscriminate  satire,  and  by  immoral 
conduct.  B^ing  left  a  widower,  1648,  he  fell  violently  in 
love  with  Mad.  de  Miramion,  and  cai*ried  her  off,  biit  could 
not  prevail  on  hei'  to  return  his  passion.  He  was  admitted 
ihib  the  French  academy  in  1665,  and  the  same  year  a 
scandalous  history  in  MS.  was  circulated  under  his  nafme,' 
which  is  called  "  The  aniorous  History  of  the  Gauls,'*'  con- 
taining the  amours  of  two  ladies  i[<i'Olot)ne,  and  de  Chatit- 
Ion)  who  had  great  influence  at  court.-  '  It  has  sinc^  been 
joined  to  other  novels  of  that  tittle',  and  printed  fn  Holland, 
2  vols.  12cho,  and  at  Paris,  utider  the  title  of  Holland,  5 
vols.  I2mo.  This  MS.  being  shown  to  the  king,  his  ma-^ 
jesty  was  extremely  angry,  and  to  Satisfy  the  oflettded 
parties,  sent  De  Bussy  to  the  Bastile,  April  7,  l€€5. 
From  thence  he  wrote  several  letters  acknowledging  that 
he  was  the  author  of  the  history,  but  liad  entriisted  the 
original  to  the  marchioness  de  la'BaUme,  who  had  beti^ayed' 
his  confidence  by  taking  a  copy  ;  alleging  also  that  the 
characters  had  been  changed  and  spoilt,  for  the  purpose  of 
raising  up  enemies  to  him.  The  king  did  not  believe  ohe 
word  of  this,  but  tired  with  his  repeated  importufnities, 
grabted  his  request ;  and  De  Bussy  obtained  leave  to  stop 
a  month  in  Paris,  after  which  he  retired  to  hts  own  estate, 
where  he  remained  in  banishment  till  1681.  The  king 
then  permitted  him  to  return  to  Paris,  and  not  only  recalled 
him  to  court  in  1682,  but  even  suffered  him  t6  attend  his 
levee,  at  the  duke  de  Saint- Aignan's  earnest  solicitation. 
He  soon  perceived^  however,  that  the  king  showed  him  no 
countenance,  and  he  therefore  retired  again  to  liis  estate. 
In  1687,  he  revisited  the  court  for  his  children's  interests, 
and  returned  home  the  year  following ;  but  ceased  not  to 
offer  his  services  to  the  king,  from  whoQn  he  obtained  se* 
veral  favours' for  his  family.  He  died  April  9,  1693,  at 
Autun^  aged  75.  His  works  are,  1.  *'  Memotres,'*  2  vols. 
4to,  or  12mo,  concerning  his  adventures  at  court,  and  in 
the  army,  and  what  happened  after  his  disgrace.  2.  ^*  Let* 
ters,"  7  vols.  3.  A  small  piece,  entitled  **  Thstructions  for 
the  conduct  of  Life,^*  which  he  gave  his*son^,  when- he  sent* 
one  to  the  academy,  and  the*  other  td  college.  'This 
is  said  to  do  credit  to  fiis  principles,  which  'ai^pear'td 
have  been  better  thaii  bis  practice.  The  only  w^ork'-dfliis- 
now  read  in  France  is  that  ^hicb  produced, ai|  hi$  misfor- 
tunes, the  '^  Histoire  amoureuse  cies  Gautes,'^  thelast  edi- 


R  A  B  U  T  I  N,  4e$ 

tioD  of  wt^ich  was  printed  at  Paris  in  1754,  5  vols.  ]2iqo* 
H^  has  been  called  very  unjustly  the  French  Petronius,  for 
b^.baa  neither  the  indecency  nor  the  elegance .  of  tbfijl^ 
.writer^  The  French  critics  are  very  fav9urabie  tQ  hioi,  ijci  a^f- 
,sei:tii)g  that  although  in  the  above  work  we  m^y  diiscover 
syijnptoms  of  n^lignity,  there  are  notye  of  exaggeration  or 
faJsehoodJ 

i^ACAN  (HoNORAT  D£  BUEIL,  marquis  of),  a  French 
ppetf  ws^s  borp  at  I(ocbe-Racan  in  Touraine  in  1589.  At 
sixtee;},  be  v^ag-made  onti  o^'  the  pfiges  to  Henry  ly.  $ind^ 
jisf  he  h^^^  to  ^rnuse  Inmself  witjti  writing  verses,  )ie  be* 
cao^e  acquainted  with  Malherbe,  who,  amidst  his  advices^ 
reproacjbed  l^im  with  being  too  negligent  and  incorrect  in 
bis  versification ;  but.  BoUeau,  wl^o  has  passed  the  saip^ 
cenBure  on  hioij^  affirms  that  he  badvmore  genius  :^han  his 
nui^ter  i  and  was  as  capable-of  writing  in  the  j^pic  jas  in  the 
Lyric  sty)e,,  in  which  last  be  was  allowed, to  excel.  ^  J)Ae^ 
nage  has  also  spoken  highly  of  Racan^  in  his  additipi^  and 
i^teratjons  to  his  ^^  Rema^rques  sur  l^s  Poesies  d^  AJ^ai- 
herbe/'     jElacan  had  little  or  no  edupation,  an^l  no  l^arniiig* 

00  quitting  the  office  pf.  page,  he  entered  into  the  ^rnoiy; 
Jbvfcjthis,  more  to  oh%e  hi3  father^  tbe.ma^qt^is  of  Rapan^ 
^l^n  out  of ^n^y  in9linatiQii  of  his  own.;  and  therefore^ 
i|.fjter  two. qr  three  cam paigus,  he  returned  to  Pa^is^  where 
be  inarried,  mid  devoted  himself  to,  poetry.  His^  wpr^^ 
the  b^t  edition  of  which  is  th^t  of  Paris,  1724,  2, vols*  8vo, 
consist  of  sacred  odes,  pastorals,,  letters^  and  oxeimoirs  of 
,theJif<^,of  Malherbe,  prefixed  xo  maay  eflitipu^  of  the 
workff  of  tbat^ppet.  He  was  chosen  pne  of  the^m^befs  of 
the  French  academyy  at  the  tim^  of  its  foundation ;  and  died 
in  1^676,  ageid  eighty  .-one.* 

.  .|lACJi^Ei  .(BoNAVEjiTuiui:)^  a  French  ecclefiastipal  his- 
^rian,  wfs  bora  November  2J5^  }'^0B.,  at  Chauny»  .  H^ 
pomplet€^d  bis  studies  at  the  Mazarine  college  at  Paris^ 
where  b^  acquired  grea(,  skill,  ip  La^in^  Greejf,  Hebrew^ 
^d  ecclesiastical  history,  ^nd  was  ^^n^. for  by  M.  d^  la 
Cjroix -Castries,  arctibi^l^p. of  Alhi,.  in  1729,  tp  re-esta^ 
jolish  tb^  college  at  Ra^as^eqsr  H.ere  he.  remained  two 
vf^firs,  and  under  his  ca^e  t^e, college  became  flourishing; 
but,  being  afterwards*  hanisl^ed  by  the  intrigues  of  the  Je* 
«uits>'forbis  attachmept  to  the  ant^-constitutiqnists,  retired 
,fo  M.  Colbert  at  Mpntp^Uier,  wbo.en^ployed  him  in  supers 

1  Biog.  Uuir.  iq  art  Bust*. .     <  j^iceron,  vol.  XXiV. — Chaufepie. — G«n.  Diet* 


\ 


470 


RACINE, 


intending  the  college  of  Lunel.  This  situation  be  pri- 
vately quitted  in  a  short  time,  to  avoid  some  rigorous  or- 
ders ;  and,  going  to  Paris,  undertook  the  education  of 
1some  young  men  at  the  college  of  Harcourt ;  but  this  place 
too  be  was  obliged  to  quit  in  1734,  by  cardinal  Fleury^s 
order;  from  which  time  he  lived  sequestered  from  the 
world,  wholly  occupied  in  his  retreat  in  study  and  devo- 
tion. M.  de  Caylus,  bishop  of  Auxerre,  being  determined 
to  attach  M.  Racine  to  himself,  gave  him  a  canonry  at 
Auxerre,  and  admitted  hini  to  sacred  orders,  all  which, 
however,  occasioned  no  change  in  his  way  of  life.  He 
died  at  Paris,  worn  out  by  application,  May  15,  1755, 
aged  47,  and  was  buried  at  St.  Severin.  His  principal 
works  are,  four  tracts  relative  to  the  dispute  which  bad 
arisen  concerning  **  Fear  and  Confidence,'*  written  with 
so  much  moderation,  that  they  pleased  all  parties  ;  and  an 
**  Abridgment  of  Ecclesiastical  History,"  13  vols.  12mo 
and  4to.  This  work  has  been  extremely  admired,  parti- 
cularly by  the  opponents  of  the  bull  Unigenitus,  and  of 
the' Jesuits,  who  are  treated  in  it  with  great  severity,  as 
they  had  been  the  cause  of  all  his  troubles.  He  intended 
to  have  continued  his  Abridgment  down  to  the  year  1750 
at  least,  hatl  he  lived  longer;  and  a  history  of  the  first  33 
years  of  the  eighteenth  century  has  been  published  by  one 
of  his  friends,  2  vols.  12mo;  and  some  Reflections,  byM. 
Racine,  oh  Ecclesiastical  History,  have  also  appeared,  2 
vols.  12mo,  which  are  a  summary  of  his  Abridgment.' 

RACINE  (John),  an  illustrious  French  poet,  was  born 
at  La  Ferte-Milon  in  1639,  and  educated  at  Port  Royal, 
where  he  gave  the  greatest  proofs  of  uncommon  abilities 
and  genius.  During  three  years^  continuance  there,  be 
linage  a  most  rapid  progress  in  the  Greek  and  Latin  lan- 
guages, and  every  species  of  polite  literature.  He  was  an 
learly  reader  of  Sophocles  and  Euripides ;  and  so  fond  of 
these  authors,  as  to  have  committed  their  plays  to  memory, 
and  delighted  to  repeat  their  striking  beauties.  While 
thus  studying  the  models  of  antiquity,  we  are  told  that  he 
accidentally  met  with  the  Greek  romance  of  Heliodorus,  ^'of 
the  Loves  of  Theagenes  and  Chariclea,"  and  was  reading 
it  when  his  director,  surprising  him,  took  the  book  and 
threw  it  into^he  fire.  Racine  found  means  to  get  another 
copy,  which  underwent  the  same  fate;  and  after  that  a 

>  Moreri.— Diet.  Hist. 


■  #• 


RACINE.  471 

ibird,  which,  having  a  prodigious  memory,  be  got  by 
heart;  and  then,  carrying  it  to  his  director,  said,  ^<Yoa 
may  now  burn  this>  as  you  have  burned  the  two  former." 

Leaving  Port  Royal,  he  went  to  Paris,  and  studied  logic 
some  time  in  the  college  of  Harcourt.  He  had  already 
■composed  some  little  pieces  of  French  poetry,  but  it  was 
in  1660,  when  all  the  poets  were  celebrating  the  marriage 
of  the  king,  that  he  first  discovered  himself  to  the  public. 
His  ^^  La  Nymphe  de  la  Seine,'*  written  upon  that  occasion, 
was  highly  approved  by  Chapelain ;  and  so  powerfully  re- 
commended by  him  to  Colbert,  that  the  minister  sent 
Racine  a  hundred  pistoles  from  the  king,  and  settled  a 
pension  on  him,  as  a  man  of  letters,  of  600  livres,  which 
was  paid  him  to  the  day  of  his  death.  The  narrowness  of 
his  circumstances  had  obliged  him  to  retire  to  Usez,  where 
an  uncle,  who  was  canon  regular  and  vicar  general  there, 
offered  to  resign  to  him  a  priory  of  his  order  which  he  then 
possessed,  if  he  would  become  a  regular ;  and  he  still  wore 
the  ecclesiastical  habit,  when  he  wrote  the  tragedy  of 
^  Theagenes,-*'  which  he  presented  to  Moliere ;  and  that 
of  the  "  Freres  Ennemis,'*  in  1664,  the  subject  of  which 
was  given  him  by  Moliere. 

In  the  mean  tim^  the  success  of  his  ode  upon  the  king^s 
marriage  led  him  to  loftier  attempts,  which  ended  in  hi) 
becoming  a  writer  for  the  theatre.  In  1666^  he  published 
his  tragedy  of  ^*  Alexandra ;''  concerning  which  Mr.  de 
Valincour  relates  a  fact,  which  be  had  from  Racine  himself 
Reading  this  play  to  Corneille,  he  received  the  highest 
encomiums  froth  that  great  writer ;  but  at  the  same  time 
was  advised  by  him  to  apply  himself  to  any  other  kinds  of 
poetry,  *  as  more  proper  for  his  genius  than  dramatic. 
^* Corneille,'*  adds  de  Valincour,  "was  incapable  of  low 
jealousy  ;  if  he  spoke  so  to  Mr.  Racine,  it  is  certain  that 
he  thought  so.  But  we  know  that  he  preferred  Lucan  to 
Virgil ;  whence  we  must  conclude,  that  the  art  of  writing 
excellent  verse,  and  the  art  of  judging  excellei^tly  of  poets 
antl  poetry,  do  not  always  meet  in  the  same  person.''  It 
was  certainly  singular  advice  to  a  man  who.  was  to  become 
Corneille's  legitimate  successor,  land  sole  rival  in  the 
French  drama. 

'  Racine's  dramatic  character  embroiled  him  at  this  time 
with  the  gentlemen  of  Port  Royal  Mr.  Nicole,  the  Je- 
remy Collier  of  France,  in  his  <*  Vistonaires  &  Imagi- 
Baires,"  had  thrown  out  occasionally  some  poignant  strokes 


f 7?  H  A  C  I  N  E. 

against  tl^e  writers  of  romance  apd  points  of  the  rth^acn^ 
whom  he  called  the  public  poisoner^y  .npt  of  bodies,  but  ift 
souls  ;  *^  des  empoisonneurs  publips,,  npo  d9&  corps,  mai^ 
des  ^nies.''.  Bacipe,  considering  himself  as  induded  iq.  this 
censure,  addressed .  a  yeiy  fiQimated  letter  to  Nicole; 
in  wbicbi;  without  entering, deeply  intp  a  defence  of-  lu$ 
brethren^  hV  endeavoured  tq  t;urn  into  ridicule  the  solitairies 
and  religious, of  the  PortI(oyaU.  M«  du  Bois  and  Barbier 
Daucour  baying  each  of  tbem  replied  to  t^  letteri  BaQio^ 
opposed  them  in  a  secoqd,  ajl  which,  originally  publisUed 
in  1666,  are  to  be  found  in  the  editiqn  of  Racing's  wqrks 
1728j  and  also  in  the  la^Eit  ^ditionsi  of  tbe  works  of  Boi.leaii. 
In  1668.,  he  publisbed  ^^  Les  JPiaideurs/'  9..  comedy,  aQd  a 
close  imitation  of  Aristopha[ne^;  and-  ^^  Andromache,'-  a 
tragedy,  which  was  much  applai^ded  and  much  ciriticised* 
Some  however,  think  it  bis  first  gpod  Ua^edy.  •  Hie.cf^iuir 
nued  to  exhibit  from  time  (9  UiQ^  £fev^r4  .e^u^ellent  trpiger 
dies:  "  Britannicus,"  in  ;i670j  **  Berenice,"  io  i67i; 
^*  Bajazet,"  in  1672  ;  "•Jtfiihridate^"  in  1673  ;  "  Ipbiger 
nia,"  in  1675;  **Ph»di:a,"  in  16)77.  During  this  (ime^ 
be  met  with  all  that  oj^ppsijtipQ  which  envy  and  cabal  are 
ever  ready  to  set  up  against  asppei^or  genii)^t  and  ooe 
Prado^,,a  poet  whose 'n^me  isoot  qth^rwise  M^prth  ren;i^m« 
Nring,  wa^  tl^en  e^nplpy^d.by  p€[9lop8tof,^he  first  di^tincr 
tion  to  have  a  f^Pl}a^(]|[ra^\  r^adyjfqr.tbj^.  theatre  against  tbe 
time  that  R^Qine's:8hQ^14  appear..  ,  ,  •  >  ,\ 
'  After  t^e  p^bU^tioix  of  <<  .Pb^dra/\b^^AQk  a  resolution 
to  quit  tb^  thpfitre  for  leyqr ;  ^Uhougti  be.wafi  ^tillio  fu^ 
vigour,  being  not  more  than  thirty *eigbt  j  find  the  only 
person  who  ;was  capable  of  cpnsolitig  Facia  for  tbe  old  1^ 
of  Corneille.  But  he  bad  i^nbil^ed  in. his  infancy  a  deep 
jsense  of  religion ;  ^ud  thiij,  though^  it  bad  been  suppressed 
for  a  while  by  bis  connections. yfitb  the  ^thealireji  an^d  parti^ 
cularly  with  the  famous  actress  Cha^pmj^l^,  by. whom  h^ 
bad  a  sop,  now  returped  in  full  fofiCf?.., While. under. this 
impression  that  bi|^  past  Ufe  bad  b^en  erjroDOpus,  he  rer 
solved,  tp  write  no  mpr^  plays,  and  according  to  th^  kind 
of  penitence  which  he  tbpngbt  prescribed  .by  bis  r^igioo^ 
actually  fprrped  a  design^ of  becoming. a  Carthusian.  fi*iai^ 
His  religious  director,  however,  distrusting  perjl^aps  .tbif 
extraordinary  zeal,  advised  him  to  mod<erate  it,,  tp  n^fryi 
lind  settle  in  tbe^  worlds  witb  which  proposal  Racial  qpj^ir 
plied;  ^d  immediately  took,  tp  wife  the  daughter  of- ith^ 
treasi^rer  of  Amiens,  by  whom  he  bad  seven  children.    Hi4 


-^'  ^ 


RACINE.  473 

Aext  conpeen  vras.to  reconcile  himself,  as  he  did  very  sin^ 
cerely,  .with  the  gepU^tP^n  of  Port  RoyaJ^  whose  censurai 
on  dramatic  writers  be  acj^nowledged  to  be  naost  just.  He 
made  peace  at  first  with  Nicole,  who  received  him  witk 
open  arms ;  and  Boiljeaa  inti^odiiiced  him  to  Ajnaud^  who 
ftlsQ  emjbraced  him  tendjeriy,  and  forgave  all  his  satire« 

He  had  been:  admtitted  a  member  of  the  French  academy 
in  1673,  in  the  room  of  La  Mothe  le  Vayer,  deceased) 
but  spoiled  the  speech  he  mad^  upon  that  occasion,  by 
pronouncing  it  %^ith  too  much  timidity.  He  had  always 
lived  in  friendship  with  Boileati,'  and  they  exchanged  opi^ 
niops  of)  each  other's,  works  with  the  greatest  freedom  and; 
candour,  and  withoytaoy  reserve.  In  1677  a  design  wial 
formed  of  uniting  talents  which .  in  fact  neithei'  possessed^ 
In  that  year  Rapine  was  nominated  witb.Boileau,  to  write 
the  history  of  Louis  XIV.,;  and  the  .public  expected  great 
thinga  from  two  writers  of  9tich.  d  istindtion^  but  they  were 
disappointed.  ^'Boil^a  aud  ^Eliciiie,"  says  de vValineouQ 
<^  after  having  for  some  time  ktboofedi  at  this  work, .  per^ 
ceiyed  that  it  was  eptirely  .opposite  to  their  genius;  and 
they  judged  also,  with  rea3€H),  that  the  history  of  such  a 
prince  neither  could  nor  ought  to  be  written  in  less  tiiaa 
an  hundred  years  after  his  death>  unless  it  were  to  be  made 
up  of  extracts  from  gazettes,  and  soeh^like  materials." 

Though  Racine  had  made  it  a  point  of  conscience  never 
to  meddle  any  more  with  poetry,  yet  he  was  again  invited 
to  resume  his  dramatic  character  by  madame  de  Maintenon^ 
who  intreated  him  to  compose  some  tragedy  fit  to  be  played 
by  her  young  ladies  at  the  convent  of  St  Cyr^  and  to  take 
the  subject  frpm  the  Bible.  Racine  accordingly  conipoaed 
^^  Esther  ;*'  which,  being  first  represented  at  St.  Cyr,  wai 
afterwards  acted  at  Versailles,  before  the  king,  in  1689^. 
*^  It  appears  to  me  very  remarkable,"  says  Voltaire,  '<  thai 
this  trsigedy  had  then  universal  sucxsess ;  and  that  two  years' 
after,  ^  Athaliab,'  thoMgh  performed  by  ^tbe  same  persons^' 
had  none*  It  happened  quite  contrary,  when  theye  pieees 
were  played  at  Paris,  long  after  the  death  of  the  author; 
and  when  prejudice  and  (tartiality  had  ceiased.  *  Athaliab,.* 
represented  in.  1717,  w^  received,  as  it  deserved  to  be^ 
with  transport;  and  ^Esther,*  in  1731,  inspired  nothing 
but  coldness,  and  never  appeared  again.  But  at  that  time 
th^re  were  no  courtiers  who  ^omplaisantly  acknowledged 
*  Esther*  in  madam  de  Maintenon,  and  with  equal  malignity 
saw  *  Vashti"  10  madam  de  Montespan ;  ^  Haman'  in  M.  de 


474  R  A  C  y  N  E. 

Louvois ;  and,  abov€  all,  the  persecution  of  the  Hugonoti 
by  this  minister,  in  the  proscrtptiou  of  the  Hebrews.*'  This 
author  goes  oo,  in  his  own  style,  censuring  the  story  of 
Esther  itself,  as  uninteresting,  and,  he  is  pleased  to  say, 
improbable,  and  then  adds :  ^*  But,  notwithstanding  the 
badness  of  the  subject,  thirty  verses  of  *  Esther'  are  of 
more  value  than  many  tragedies  which  have  had  great 
success." 

Offended  at  the  bad  reception  of  **  Athaliab,"  he  was 
more  disgusted  than  ever  with  poetry,  and  now  renounced 
it  totally.     He  spent  the  latter  years  of  his  life  in  com- 
'posing  a  History  of  the  house  of  Port  Royal,  the  place  of 
his  education  ;  which  is  well  drawn  up,  in  an  elegant  style, 
and  was  published  in  1767,  in  two  vols.  12mo.     Too  great 
sensibility,  say  his  friends,  but  more  properly  an  impotence 
of  spirit,  shortened  the  days  of  this  poet.     Though  he  had 
conversed* much  with  the  court,  he  bad  not  learned  to  dis- 
guise his  real  sentiments.  Having  drawn  up  a  well-reasoned 
and  well-written  memorial  upon  the  miseries  of  the  people, 
and  the  means  of  relieving  them,  he  one  day  lent  it  to 
Madam  de  Maintenon  to  read ;  when  the  king  coming  in, 
and  demanding  what  and  whose  it  was,  commended  the 
zeal  of  Racine,  but  disapproved  of  his  meddling  with 
things  that  did  not  concern  him  ;  and  said,  with  an  angry 
tone,  ^'  Because  be  knows  how  to  make  good  verses,  does  he 
think  he  knows  every  thing  ?  and  would  he  be  a  minister  of 
^tate,  because  he  is  a  great  poet  ?"     These  words  hurt 
Racine  greatly  :  he  conceived  dreadful  ideas  of  the  king's 
displeasure,  and  this  brought  on  a  fever,  which  surpassed 
the  power  of  medicine;    for   he  died  of  it,    after  being 
grievously  afflicted  with  pains,  in  1699.     The  king,  who 
was  sensible  of  his  great  merit,  and  always  loved  him,  sent 
often  to  him  in  his  illness ;  and  finding,  after  his  death, 
that  he  bad  died  poor,  settled  a  handsome  pension  upon 
his  family.     He  was  interred  at  Port  Royal,  according  to 
his  will ;  aiid,  upon  the  destruction  of  that  monastery  in 
1708,  his  remains  were  carried  to  St.  Stephen  du  Mont,  at 
Paris.    He  was  middle-sized,  and  of  an  agreeable  and  open 
i:ountenance ;  was  a  great  jester,  but  was  restrained  by 
piety,  in  the  latter  years  of  his  life,  from  indulging  this 
talent;  and,  when  warmed  in  conversation,  had  so  lively 
and  persuasive  an  eloquence,  that  he  himself  often  lamented 
his  not  having  been  an  advocate  in  parliament.     Of  his 
works  his  countrymen  have  reason  to  be  proud  :  no  modern 


RACINE.  475 

stage  has  been  honoured,  in  such  quick  succession,  by  two 
such  writers  as  Corneille  and  Racine.  Fontenelie's  parallel 
between  them  we  have  already  given  (see  Couneille, 
vol.  X.  p.  269.),  but  it  is  thought  too  partial  to  Corneille. 
We  shall  content  ourselves  with  saying,  after  Perrauit,  that 
*^  If  Corneille  surpassed  Racine  in  heroic  sentiments  and 
the  grand  character  of  his  personages,  he  was  inferior  to 
him  in  moving  the  passions,  and  in  purity  of  language." 

There  are  some  pieces  of  Racine  of  a  smaller  kind,  which 
have  not  been  mentioned :  as,  "  Idylle  sur  la  Paix,  1685  ;*' 
**  Discourse  prononc^  a  la  reception  de  T.  Corneille  et 
Bergeret,  a  l'Acad6mie  Frangoise,  en  1685;'*  "Cantiques 
Spirituelles,  1689;"  "  Epigram mes  Di verses."  The  works 
of  Racine  were  printed  at  Amsterdam,  1722,  in  2  vols. 
12mo;  and  the  year  after  at  London,  very  pompously,  in 
2  vols.  4to;  but  there  are  more  superb  editions  lately 
printed  in  Paris  at  the  Didot  press.  ^ 

RACINE  (Louis),  son  of  the  preceding,  was  born 
at  Paris  in  1692.  He  was  also  a  distinguished  poet,  but 
adopted  the  ecclesiastical  habit,  and  in  1720  published  his 
poem  "  On  Grace."  From  his  retirement,  D'Aguesseau 
brought  him  again  into  the  world,  and  cardinal  Fleury 
afterwards  gave  him  a  place  in  the  finances ;  on  which  he 
married,  and  lived  happily,  till  the  loss  of  an  only  son 
threw  him  into  a  deep  melancholy.  He  died  in  1763,  at 
the  age  of  71.  His  poetical  writings  are,  "Poems  on 
Religion  and  Grace;"  "Odes,"  of  which  the  diction  is 
stplendid,  and  the  sentiments  elevated  ;  "  Epistles,"  and 
a  **  Translation  of  Milton's  Paradise  Lost/'  In  prose  he  . 
wrote  "  Reflexions  sur  la  Poesie;"  "  Memoires  sur  la 
Vie  de  Jean  Racine;"  "  Remarques  sur  les  Tragedies  de 
J.  Racine."  Besides  these,  he  contributed  several  disser- 
tations to  the  Memoires  of  the  Academy  of  Inscriptions,  of 
which  he  was  a  member.  His  works  were  collected  and 
published  in  6  vols.  12mo.  * 

RADBERT.     See  PASCHASIUS. 

RADCLIFFE  (Dr.  John),  an  eminent  English  physician, 
was  born  at  Wakefield  in  Yorkshire,  where  his  father  pos- 
sessed a  moderate  estate,  in  1650.  He  was  ta\ight  Greek 
and  Latin  at  a  school  in  the  same  town ;  and,  at  fifteen 
years  of  age,  was  sent  to  University  college,  in  Oxford.  In 
1 669,  he  took  his  first  degree  in  arts ;  but  no  fellowship 

•  1  I,if«,  by  bif  Sod,  1747.  —  PerrftuU,  Les  Ronmei  Illuskreg.  —  Moreri. -*• 
Diet.  Hist.  s  Diet.  Hist. 


476  R  A  D  C  L  I  F  F  E, 

• 

becooiing  vacant  there,  he  removed  to  Lincolfi  college^ 
where  be  was  elected  into  one.  He  applied  himself  to 
physic,  and  ran  through  the  necessary  qourses  of  botany]^ 
chemistry,  and  anatomy;  in  all  which,  having  excelleivt 
parts,  he  quickly  made  a  very  great  progress.  He  took 
the  degree  of  M.  A.  iu  1672,  und  then  proceeded  in  the 
medical  faqulty.  It  is  remarkaLle,  that  he  recommended 
himself  more  by  ready  wit  and  vivacity,  tban  by  any  extrar 
ordinary  acquisitions  in  learning ;  and,  in  tBe  prosecutaon 
of  phytic,  he  rfirely. looked  further  than  to  the  pieces  .of 
Mft^  Willis,  who  was  then  practising  in  London  with  a  very 
di^^Hglpished  -character.  He  had  few  books  of  any  kind ; 
^  ^fe^^  that  when  Dr.  Bathurst,  head  of  Trinity  college 
asked  hi p[i  once  in  a  surprise,  ^^  where  b|s  study  was?'* 
Radcliffe, . pointing  to  a  few.  phials,  a  skeleton,  at)d  an 
herbal,  replied,  ^^  Sir,  this  is  RadclifFe's  library.''  In 
1675  he  proceeded  M:  B»  and  immediately  J)egan  to  prac- 
tise. He  never  paid  any  regard,  to  the  roles  universally 
followed,  but  censured  them,  as  often  as  he  saw  occasion, 
with  great  freedom  and  acrimony  ;  which  drew  all  the  gld 
practitioners  upon  him,  with  wboaa  he  waged  an  everlasting 
wai;.  Yet  his  reputation  increased  with  his  experii^ce  ;  and 
before  he  had  been  two  years  established,  his  business  was 
very  extensive,  and  among  those  of  the  highest  rank.  About 
this  time.  Dr.  Marshall,  rector  of  Lincoln  college,  oppose^ 
his  application  for  a  faculty-place  in  the  college,  which 
was  to  serve  as  a  dispensation  from  taking  holy  orders, 
'which  the  statutes  required  him  to  do,  if  he  kept  his. fel- 
lowship. This,  was  owing  to  some  witticisms  which  liad« 
diffe,  according  to  bis  mapner,  had  pointed 'at  the  doctor. 
The  church,  however,^  being  inconsistent  witb  his  preset^ 
situation  and  views,  he  chose  to  resign  his  fellowship,  which 
he  did  in  1677.  He  would  have  kept  his  chambers,  and 
resided  there  as  a  commoner;  but  Dr.  Marshall  being  siilJ 
irreconcilable,  he  quitted  the  college,  .and  took  lodgings 
elsewhere,  [n  1682  he  went  out  M.D.  but  continued  two 
years  longer  at  Oxford,  increasing  both  in  weajth  and  fame. 
In  1684  he  went  to  London,  and  settled  in  Bow-streel^ 
Covent-garden.  Dr.  Lower  was  there  the  reigning  pby* 
siciau  ;  but  bis  interest  beginning  to  decline  on  account  of 
his  whig  principles,  as  they  were  called,  Radcliffe  h^d 
almost  an  open  field :  and,  in  less  than  ,a  year,  got  into 
high  practice,  to  which  perhaps  his  conversation  contri- 
buted as  much  as  bis  reputed  riiill  in  his  profession,  for 


R  A  D  C  L  I  F  F  E.  477 

few  meo  had  more  pleasantry  and  ready  wit  In  ISSS^  the 
ptincess  Anne  of  Denmark  made  faim  her  physician.  In 
1687,  weahh  flowing  in  upon  him  very  plentifully,  he  had 
a  mind  to  testify  his  gratitude  to  University  college,  where 
he  had  received  the  best  part  of  his  education  ;  and,  with 
this  intent,  caused  the  East  window,  over  the  altar,  to  be 
put  up  at  his  own'  expence.  It  is  esteemed  a  beautiful 
piece,  representing  the  nativity  of  our  Saviour,  painted 
upon  glass  i  and  appears  to  be  his  gifb,  by  the  following 
inscription  under  it:  "  D.D;  Joan.  Radcliffe,  M.  D.- 
hujus  Collegii  tjuondam  Socius,  A.  D.  m.dclxxxvii.*'  He 
is  called  '*  Socius ;''  not  that  he  was  really  a  fellow,  but, 
being  senior  scholar,  had  the  same  privileges,  though  not, 
an  equal  revenue,  with  the  fellows.  lu  16S6,  when  prince 
George  of  Denmark  joined  the  prince  of  Orange ;  and  the 
princess,  his  consort,  retired  to  Nottingham,  the  doctor 
was  pressed,  by  bishop  Compton,  to  attend  her  in  quality* 
of  his  oflice,  she  being  also  pregnant  of  the  duke  of 
Gloucester;  but,  not  choosing  to  declare  himself  in  ihat 
critical  state  of  public  affairs,  nor  favouring  the  measures 
then  in  agitation,  he  excused  himself  on  account  of  the 
dultipKcity  of  his  patients. 

After  the  Revolution,  he  was  often  sent  for  to  king  WiU 
liam,  and  the  great  persons  about  his  court ;  and  this  he 
must  have  owed  entirely  to  his  reputation,  for  it. does  not 
appear  that  he  ever  inclined  to-be  a  courtier.  •  In  1^92  he 
ventured  50002.  in  an  interloper,' which  was  bound  for  the 
East  Indies,  with  the  prospect  of  a  large  returtl ;  but  lost 
it,  the  ship  being  taken  by  the  French.  When  the  news 
was  brought  him,  he  said  that  **  he  had  nothing  to  do,  but 
go  up  so  man}'  pair  of  stairs  to  make  himself  whole  again.*' 
In  1693,  he  entered  upon  a  treaty  of  marriage  with  the 
only  daughter  of  a  wieatthy  citizen,'  and  was  near  bringing 
the  afiair  to  a  conclusion^  when  it  was  discovered  that  the 
yonng  lady  had  ad  intrigue  with  her  father's  book-keeper. 
This  disappointment  in  his  first  love  would  not  sufler  him 
ever  after  to  think  of  the  sex  in  that  light :  he  even  ac* 
quired  a  degree  of  insensibility,  if  not  aversion  for  them  ; 
and  often  declared,  that  "  he  wished  for  an  act  of  parlia- 
ment, whereby  nurses  only  should  be  entitled  to  prescribe, 
to  them."  In  1694,  queen  Mary  caught  the  small-pox 
amd  died.^  "  The  physician's  part,"  says  bishop  Burnet, 
<^  was  universally  condemned;  -^nd  her  death  was  imputed 
to  the  negligence  or  ttuskiifulnes^  of  Dr.  Radcliffe.     He 


t 


N 


V 


4 


47»  R  A  D  C  L  I  F  F  E. 

was  called  for ;  and  it  appeared,  but  too  evidently,  that 
bis  opinioti  was  cbiefly  considered,  and  most  depended  on. 
Other  physicians  were  afterwards  called,  but  not  till  it  was 
too  late.^' 

Soon  after,  he  lost  the  favour  of  the  princess  Anne,  by 

neglecting  to  obey  her  call,  from  his  too  great  attachment 

/^     to  the  bottle,  and  another  physician  was  elected  into  his 

place.     In  1699,  king  William  returning   from   Holland, 

and  being  indisposed,  sent  for  Radcliffe ;  sind,  shewing 

him  his  swoln  ancles,  while  the  rest  of  his  body  was^ema- 

ciatedand  skeleton-like,  said,  *' What  think  you  of  these?" 

v^        *^  Why  truly,"  replied  the  physician,  "  I  would  not  have 

Ts^      your  majesty's  two  legs  for  your  three  kingdoms :"  which 

.       freedom  lost  the  king's  favour,  and  no  intercessions  could 

^"^      ever  recover  it.     When  queen  Anne  came  to  the  throne, 

^^       the  earl  of  Godolphin  used  all  his  endeavours  to  reinstate 

v^       him  in  his  former  post  of  chief  physician  ;  but  she  would 

->^  J       not  be  prevailed  upon,  alledging,  that  RadcliiFe   would 

send  her  word  again,  ^'  that  her  ailments  were  nothing  but- 

the  vapours."     Still  he  was  consulted  in  all  cases  of  emer- 

"^       gency  and  critical  conjuncture;  and  though  not  admitted 

as  the  queen's  domestic  physician,  he  received  large  sums 

for  his  prescriptions. 

In  1703,  Radcliffe  was  himself  taken  ill  (on  Wednesday, 
M^rch  24),  with  somediing  likea  pleurisy;  neglected  it; 
drank  a  bottle  of  wine  at  sir  Justinian  Isham's  on  Thursday, 
took  to  his  bed  on  Friday  ;  and  on  the  30th  was  so  ill,  that 
it  was  thought  he  could  not  live  till  the  next  day.  Dr. 
Stanhope,  dean  of  Canterbury ;  and  Mr.  Whitfield  (then 
queen's  chaplain,  and  rector  of  St.  Martin,  Ludgate,  after- 
wards vicar  of  St  Giles,  Cripplegate),  were  sient  for  by 
him,  and  he  desired  them  to  assist  him.  By  a  will,  made 
the  28th,  he  disposed  of  the  greatest  part  of  his  estate  to 
charity ;  and  several  thousand  pounds,  in  particular,  for 
the  relief  of  sick  seamen  set  ashore.  Mr.  Bernard,  the 
serjeant-surgeon,  took  from  him  100  ounces  of  blood  ;' 
and  on  the  3 1st  he  took  a  strange  resolution  of  being  re- 
moved to  Kensington,  notwithstanding  his  weakness,  from 
which  the  most  pressing  entreaties  of  his  friends  could  not 
divert  him.  In  the  warmest, time  of  the  day  he  rose,  and 
was  carried  by  four  men  in  a  chair  to  Kensington,  whither 
he  got  with  difficulty,  having  fainted  away  in  his  chair. 
''  Being  put  to  bed,"  says  Dr^  Atterbury,  on  whose  Authority 
we  relatethese  particulars!  ^<  he  fell  asleep  immediately,  and 


R  A  D  C  L  I  F  F  E.  479 

it  is  concladed  now  (April  1)  that  be  may  do  well ;  so  that 
the  town- physicians,  who  expected  to  share  his  practice, 
begin  now  to  think  themselves  disappointed/'  Two  days 
after,  the  same  writer  adds,  ^^  Dr.  RadclifFe  is  past  all 
danger :  his  escape  is  next  to  miraculous.  It  hath  made 
bim  not  only  very  serious,  but  very  devout.  The  person 
who  bath  read  prayers  to  him  often  (and  particularly  this 
day)  tells  me,  he  never  saw  a  man  mgre  in  earnest.  The 
queen  asked  Mr.  Bernard  how  he  did;  and  when  he  told 
her  that  be  was  ungovernable,  and  would  observe  no  rules, 
she  answered,  that  then  nobody  had  reason  to  take  any 
thing  ill  from  him,  since  it.  was  plain  he  used  other  people 
no  worse  than  he  used  himself.'' 

He  continued,  however,  in  full  business,  increasing  in 
wealth  and  eccentric  temper,  to  the  end  of  his  days ;  always 
carrying  on,  as  we  have  before  observed,  war  with  his 
brethren  the  physicians,  who  never  considered  him  in  any 
other  light  than  that  of  an  active,  ingenious,  i^dventuring 
empiric,  whom  constant  practice  brought  at  length  to  some 
skill  in  his  profession.  One  of  the  projects  of  Martin 
Scriblerus"  wag,  by  a  stamp  upon  blistering-plasters  and 
melilot  by  the  yard,  to  raise  money  for  the  government, 
and  give  it  to  RadclifFe  and  others  to  farm.  In  Martin's 
**  Map  of  Diseases,"  which  was  "  thicker  set  with  towns 
than  any  Flanders  map,"  RadclifFe  was  painted  ai  the  cor- 
ner, contending  for  the  universal  empire  of  this  world,  and 
the  rest  of  the  physicians  opposing  bis  ambitious  designs, 
with  a  project  of  a  treaty  of  partition  to  settle  peace. 

In  1713  he  was  elected  into  parliament  for  the  town  of 
Buckingham.  In  the  last  illness  of  queen  Anne,  he  was 
sent  for  to  Carshalton,  about  noon,  by  order  of  the  cojmcil. 
He  said,  *^  he  had  taken  pibysic,  and  could  not  come." 
Mr.  Ford,  from  whose  letter  to  Dr.  Swift  this  anecdote  is 
taken,  observes,  *^  In  all  probability  he  had  saved  her  life ; 
for  I  am  told  the  late  lord  Gower  had  been  often  in  the 
same  condition,  wtth  the  gout  in  his  head."  In  the  account 
that  is  given  of  Dr.  RadclifFe  in  the  '<  Biographia  Britan* 
nica,"  it  is  said,  that  the  queen  was  struck  with  death  the 
twenty-eighth  of  July  :  that  Dr.  RadclifFe's  name  was  not 
once  mentioned,  either  by  the  queen  or,"  any  lord  of  the 
council ;"  only  that  lady  Masham  sent  to  him,  without  their 
knowledge,  two  hours  before  the  queen's  death.  In  this 
letter  from  Mr.  Ford  to  dean  Swift,  which  is  dated  the 
thirty-first  of  July,  itis  said,  that  the  queen's  disorder  began 


480  R  A  D  C  L  I  F  F  E. 

9 

between  eight  and  nine  the  morning  before,  which  was  the 
thirtieth ;  and  that  about  noon,  the  same  day,  Radcltffe 
was  sent  for  by  an  order  of  council.  These  accounts  being 
contradictory,  the  reader  will  probably  want  some  assistance 
to  determine  what  were  the  facts.  As  to  the  time  when 
the  queen  was  taken  ill,  Mr.  Ford's  account  is  most  likely 
to  be  true,  las  he  was  upon  the  spot,  and  in  a  situation 
which  insured  him  the  best  intelligence.  A^  to  the  time 
when  the  doctpr  was  sent  for,  the  account  in  the  Bibg.  Brit. 
is  manifestly  wrong:  for  if  the  doctor  had  been  sent  for 
only  two  hours  before  the  queen's  death,  which  happened 
incontestably  on  the  first  of  August,  Mr.  Ford  could  not 
have  mentioned  the  fact  on  the  31st  of  July,  when  his  letter 
was  dated.  Whether  KadclifFe  was  sent  for  by  lady  Mashtfm, 
or  by  order  of  council,  is  therefore  the  only  point  to  be 
determined.  That  he  wa^  generally  reported  to  have  been 
sent  for  by  order  of  council  is  certain ;  but  'a,  lietter  is 
printed  in  the  "  Biograpbia,"  said  to  hare  bein  written  by 
the  doctor  to  one  of  his  friends,  which,  supposing  it  to  be 
genuine,  will  prove,  that  the  doctor  matntaihed  the  con- 
trary. On  the  5th  of  August,  four  days  after  the  queen's 
death,  a  member  of  the  liduse  6f  Comm6nsr,  a  friend  of 
the  doctor's,  who  was  also  a  meniber,  and  one  who  always 
voted  on  the  same  side,  moved,  that  he  might  be  stfkntboned 
to  attend  in  his  place,  in  order  to  be  censured  for  not 
attenduig  on  her  majesty.  Upon  this  occasion  the  doctor 
is  said  to  have  written  the  following  letter  to  anothier  of 
his  friends : 

**  Dear  Sir,  Carshalton,  Aug.  7,  1714. 

*^  I  could  not  have  thought  that  so  old  an  acquaintance 

and  so  good  a  friend,  as  sir  J n  always  professed  himself, 

would  have  made  such  a  motion'  against  me.  ,God  knows 
my  will  to  do  her  majesty  any  service  has  ever  got  the  start 
of  my  ability;  and  I  have  nothing  that  gives  me  greateir 
anxiety  and  trouble  than  the  death  of  that  great  and  glo* 
rious  princess.  I  must  do  that  justice  to  the  physicibn^ 
that  attended  her  in  her  illness,  from  a  sight  of  the  aiethod 
that  was  taken  for  her  preservation  by  Dr.  Mead,  as  to 
declare  nothing  was  omitted  for  her  preservation  ;  but  the 
.people  about  her  (the  plagues  of  Egypt  fail  on  them !)  put 
it  out  vof  the  power  of  physic  to  be  of  any  benefit  to  her.  I 
l^now  the  nature  of  attendiiig  crowned  beads  in  their  last 
moments  too  well  to  be  totid  of  waiting  upon  them,  without 
being  sent  for  by  a  proper  authority. '  You  faavQ  heard  of 


♦     I 


RADCLIFFE;  481 

pardons  beihg  sig^led-  for  ph;fsiciaDs,  before  a  sove- 
reign's demise :  however,  ill  as  I  was,  I  would  bave 
«Vent  to  the  queen  in  a  horse-littery  had  either  her  ma- 
jesty, or  those  in  commission  next  to  her,  commanded 

me  so  to  do.      You  may  tell   sir  J n  as  much,  and 

assure  him  from  me,  that  his  zeal  for  her  majesty  will 
not  excuse  his  ill  usage  of  a  friend,  who  has  drank  many  a 
hundred  bottles  with  him,  and  cannot,  even  after  this 
breach  of  a  good  understanding  that  ever  was  preserved  be* 
tween  us,  but  have  a  very  good  esteem  for  him.  I  must 
also  desire  you  to  thank  Tom  Chapman  for  his  speech  in 
my  behalf,  since  I  hear  it  is  the  first  he  ever  made,  which 
is  tak,^a  more  kindly ;  and  to  acquaint  him,  that  I  should. 
be  glad  to  s^e  him  at  Carshal ton,. since  I  fear  (for  so  the 
gout  tells  me)  that  we  shall  never  more  sit  in  the  House 
of  Commons  together.  I  am,  &c. 

"  John  Radgliffe." 

•  But,  whatever  credit  may  now  be  paid  to  this  letter,  or 
however  it  may  now  be  thought  to  justify  the  doctor's  re-, 
fusal  to  attend  her  majesty,  he  became  at  that  time  so 
much  the  object  of  popular  resentment,  that  he  was  appre- 
hensive of  being  assassinated;  as  appears  by.  the  following 
letter,  directed  to  Dr.  Mead,  at  Child^s  coffee-house,  in  St. 
Paul's  church-yard : 

"Dear  Sir,  Carshalton,  Aug.  3, 1714. 

*  <^  I  give  you,  and  your  brother,  many  thanks,  for  the  ia- 
vbur  you  intend  me  to-morrow ;  and  if  there  is  any  other 
friend  that  will  be  agreeable  to  you,  he  shall  meet  with  a 
hearty  welcome  from  me.  Dinner  shall  be  on  the  table  by 
two,  when  you  may  be  sure  to  find  me  ready  to  wait  upon 
you.  Nor  shall  I  be  at  any  other  time  from  home,  because 
I  bave  received  several  letters,  which  threaten  me  with 
b'^iug  pulled  to  pieces,  if  ever  I  come  to  London.  After 
such  menaces  as  these,  it  is  easy  to  imagine,  that  the  con- 
versation of  two  such  very  good  friends  is  not  only  ex- 
tremely desirable,  but  the  enjoyment  of  it  will  be  a  great 
liappiness  and  satisfaction  to  him,  who  is,  &c. 

"  John  Radcliffe." 
RadclifFe  died  on  the.first  of  November  the  same  year^ 
having  survived  the  queen  just  three  months;  and  it  is 
said,  that  the  dread  he  had  of  the  populace,  and  the  want  of 
company  in  the  country  village,  which  he  did  not  dare  to 
leave,  shortened  his  life,  when  just  sixty -four  years  old. 
Vol.  XXV.  Ii 


482 


[H  A  D  c  L  1  F  p  e: 


He  was  carried  to  Oxford^  aind  buriied  in  St.  Mary's  cburell 
in  that  city. 

.  He  had' a  gresit  respect  for  tbe  clergy;  and  shewed  much 
jttdgilient  iti  bestowing  his  patronage/  He  gave  the  recr 
tory  <of  Headboume-wortby,  Hants,  to  the  learned  and 
pious  Dr.  Bingbain ;  and  it  was  through  his  solicitation 
that  the  headship  of  St  Maiy  hall,  at  Oxford,  was  con* 
ferred  on  '^the  celebrated  Dr.  Hudson  ;  whom  he  so  much 
esteemed,  that  it  has  been  generally  supposed  it  was  to  tbe 
persuasion  of  Dr.  Hudson,  that  the  university  was  indebted 
for  the  noble  benefactions  of  Dr.  Radcliffe ;  for  the  Li* 
brary^  and  Infirmary  which -bear  his  name;  and  for  an 
annual  income  of  600/.  for  two  travelling  fellowships.  To 
University  college  also  he  gave,  besides  the  window  over 
the  altar-piece  already  mentioned,  the  money  which  built 
the  master^s  lodge  there,  making  one  side  of  the  Eastern 
quadrangle. 

We  do  not  find  that  he  ever  attempted  to  write  any 
thing,  and  probably  he  would  not  have  suceeeded  as  an 
author.  He  was  believed  to  have  be^n  very  little  conver* 
sant  in  books,  which  made  Dr.  Garth  say,  humourously 
enough,  that  **  for  Radcfiffe  to  leave  a  library,  was  as  if  an 
eunuch  should  found  a  seragKo.''  A  most  curious  but  uo^ 
gracious  portrait  is  given  of  him  by  Dr.  Mandeville,  in  bi»* 


*  Dr.  R»dc1iffe's  idea,  in  Pecem- 
ber  1712,  wai  to  bafe  -enlarged  tbe 
Bodleian  libraiy.  *<  Tbe  intended 
icberoe  #as,'^  as  we  team  from  Dr..  At* 
terbur)r'B  **  Epistolary  Correspoiid- 
ence,**  voU  III.  «  to  build  out  from  the 
middle  window  of  the  Selden  part,  a 
room  of  nfnety  feet  long,  and  as  bigb 
as  the  Selden  part  is,  and  under  it  to 
build  a  library  for  Exeter  college, 
upon  whose  ground  it  aniU  stand. 
Exeter  college  has  consented,  upon 
condition  that  not  only  a  library  be 
built  for  them,  but  some  loggings  also, 
which  must,  bq  polled  down  to  make 
room  for  this  new  design,  be  rebuilt. 
The  university  thinks  of  furnishing  that 
part  of  the  charge ;  and  Dr,  tladcliffe 
bas  readily  proferred  to  furnish  the 
rest;  and'  wlthall,  after  he  has  per- 
fected the  bmlding,  to  give  100/.  for 
ever  to  furnish  it  with  books.**  This 
scbeme  not  haying  been  adopted,  the 
doctor  left  40,000/.  for  building  a  pew 
Ubrary;  with  150/.  a  year  for  the  li- 
brarian,  and  100/.  a  year   to   buy 


books.  Tbe  foundation  stone  was^laid 
June  16,  1737,  with  the  following  in* 
scription  on  a  plate  of  copper: 

*'  Quod  fellx  faustumque  ik 

Academias  Oxonienai, 
Die  xvi  kalendarum  Junii 
Atino  MDcczxxrii, 
CardlO  CodiHie  de  Arran  Cancellari^ 
Stephano  Niblety  S.T.P. 
Vice-cancellario, 
Tboma  Paget  &  Jobanne  Land,  A.  Mw 
Procuratoribiia,' 
Plaudente  undique  togati  gente^ 

Honorabiiis  admoflum 
jjiBu  J)tu  Carolus'Noel  S^onerset, 
Honorabiiis  Johannes  Vemey, 
Gualterns  Wagstaff  Bagot  Baroaettos, 
.    Edwardns  Harley  et  ?  . 

fedwaidus  atoith,      |A"n'««n, 
Radclivii  muaifioentissimi  Testamepti 
Curatores,  P.  P. 
J&obboQibbs,  AMhiteclo." 

The'  whole  bnHdfaig  was  completed  la 
1747 ;  and  on  the  12th  of  April,  1749^ 
it  waa  opened  with  groat  solemnity. 


R  A  D  C  L  i  If  F  £  483 

«<  Essay  on  Charity  SchooV  stibjoinfed  to  his  **  Fable  of 
the  Bees."  What,  however,  the  late  Dr.  Mead  hits  re- 
corded of  him,  is  no  small  testimony  in  his  favour  7  namely, 
that  h^  was  deservedly  at  the  head  of  his  profession,  on  ae-. 
count  of  his  great  medical  penetration  and  experience/' 

Some  remarkable  traits  in  his  character  mity  be  disco- 
lored' itt  the  following  detached  remarks  and  extracts  : 

His  caprice  in  his  profession  seems  to  have  been  un- 
bounded. When  the  lady  of  sir  John'  Trevor,  the  master  of 
the  Rolls,' was  dying,  in  the  summer  of  1704,  she  was  given 
over  by  Radcliffe  as  incurable.  The  master,  thinking  it  a 
compliment  to  Radcliffe  hot  to  join  any  of  the  London  physi- 
cians with  him,  sent'to  Oxford  for  Dr.  Breach,  an  old  crony,* 
,  to  consalt  on  that  occasion ;  which  made  such  a  breach 
With  Radcliffe  that  he  set  out  in  a  few  days  for  Bath ;  where 
he  is  represented  *^  as  delighting  scarce  in  any  other  com- 
pany but  that  of  papists." 

The  lady  of  sir  John  Holt  be  attended,  in  a  bad  illness, 
with  uiinsual  diligence,  out  of  pique  to  the  husband,  who 
Was  supposed  not  to  be  over-fond' of  her. 

When  Mr.  Harley  was  stabbed  by  Guiscard,.  Swift  com- 
plains, that,  by  the  caprice  of  RadcHffe,  who  would  admit 
none  but  bis  own  surgeon,  he  had  "  not  been  well  looked 
after  ;'•  and  adds  in  another  place,  «*  Mr.  Harley  has  had  an 
ill  surgeon,  by  the  caprice  of  that  puppy  Dr.  Radcliffe  ; 
which. has  kept  him  back  so  long." 

May  26,  1704,  he  carried  some  cause  against  an  apothe- 
cary, by  the  aid  of  the  solicitor-general  Harcoutt ;    and 
«  two. days  before,*'  Atterbury  says,  **  a  play  was  *^*^®"> 
wherein  the  doctor  was  extremely  ridiculed  upon  that  heaa 
of  his  quarrel  with  the  apothecary.    A  great  number  of  V^^" 
sons  of  quality  were  present;  among  the  rest,  the  dachesa 
of  Marlborough  and  the  maids  of  honour.     The  passages 
where  the  doctor  was  affronted  were  received  with  the  ut- 
most applause.'*  rp    1     ^* 

In  1709,  he  was  ridiculed  by  Steele,  in  the  «  Tatler, 
under  the  title  of  "  the  mourning  ;Esculapius,  the  languisn - 
inghbpeless  lover  of  the  divine  Hebe,  emblem  of  you  tn  aiic^ 
beaatyi"     After  during  the  lady  of  a  severe  fever,   ne  reii 
violently  in  love  with  her;  but  was  rejected.^     cr^C'iLI^ 
thus  related  in  the  «  Biographia  Britannica ;  ,^.         t^X 

who  made  the  doctor,  at  this  advanced  ag^,  stand  m  ne«<x 
of  a  physician  himself,  was,  it  is  said,  of  great  tieauty,, 
wealth,  and  quality  j  and  too  attractire  hot  to  inspire  tti« 

112 


484  R  A  D  C  L  I  F  F  E, 

coldest  heart  witli  the  warmest  sentiments.  After  he  bad« 
made  a  core  of  her,  be  could  not  but  imagine^  as  naturally; 
be  mighty  that  her  ladyship  would  entertain  a  favourable, 
opinion  of  bim.  But  the  lady,  however  grateful  she  might 
be  for  the  care  he  had  taken  of  her  health,  divulged  the, 
secret,  and  one  of  her  confidants  revealed  it  to  Steele, 
who,  on  accQunt  of  party,  was  so  ill-natured  as  to  write- 
the  ridicule  of  it  in  the  Tatler.*' 

This  article  shall  be  closed  with  an  extract  from  the: 
Richardson iana  :  *^  ,Dr.  Radcliffe  told  Dr.  Mead,  ^  Mead,  I 
love  you,  and  now  I  will  tell  you  a  sure  secret  to  make  your , 
fortune ;  use  all  mankind  ill.'    And  it  certainly  was  his  own . 
practice.    He  owned  he  was  avacicious,  even  to  spunging, 
whenever  he  any  way  could,  at  a  tavern  reckoning,  a  sixpence, 
or  shilling,  among  the  rest  of  the  company,  under  pretence 
,  of  *  hating  (as  be  ever  did)  to  change  a  guinea,  because  (said 
he)  it  slips  away  so  fast.'     He  could  never  be  brou^ght  to 
pay  bills  without  much  following  and  importunity ;  nor 
then  if  there  appeared  any  chance  of  wearying  them  out — 
A  paviour,  after  long  and  fruitless  attempts,  caught  hinx 
just  getting  out  of  his  chariot  at  his  own  door,  in  Blooms* 
bury-square,  and  set  upon  him.     ^  Why,  you  rascal,'  said 
the  doctor,  '  do  you  pretend  to  be  paid  for  such  a  piece  of 
work  ?  why  you  have  spoiled  my  pavement,  and  then  co- 
vered it  over  with  earth  to  hide  your  bad  work.'     '  Doctor,' 
said  the  paviour,  '  mine  is  not  the  only  bad  work  that  the 
earth  hides !'     *  You  dog  you,'  said  the  doctor,  ^  are  you  a 
wit  ?  you  must  be  poor,  come  in  ;'  and  paid  him*  Nobody,", 
adds  Mr.  Richardson,  ^^ever  practised  this  rule, '  of  using 
all  mankind  ill,'  less  than  Dr.  Mead  (who  told  me  himself, 
the  story,  and)  who,  as  I  have  been  informed  by  great  phy- 
sicians, got  as  much  again  by  his  practice  as  Dr.  Rad- 
cliffe  did." 

Many  other  anecdotes  are  given  of  this  singular  character, 
in  ^^  Some  Memoirs  of  his  Life,"  published  in  17 14  or  17 1 5, 
chiefly  written  by  William  Pittis,  of  New  college,  Oxford, 
assisted  by  information  from  Dr.  Mead.  A  fourth  edition, 
of  this  appeared  in  1736,  to  which  Mr.  Pittis  annexed  his 
name,  with  an  appendix  of  **  Letters,"  and  the  new  title  of 
«  Dr.  Radcliffe's  Life  and  Letters."  * 

1  Life  as  aboTe. — Biog.  Brit. — Swift's  Works  ;  see  Index. — Burnett's  Own 
Timei^ — ^AtteVbury's  Correspondence.— Lysona's  Eaviroos,  vol.  I.  and  vol.  IV.— ' 
Bovles's  edition  of  Pope's  Works.— JLetters  by  Eminent  PersoMy  3  volt.  8rOr . 
1 8  i  3.— Gent.  Mag.  Index. 


R  A  D  E  R  U  S.  48* 

:  ^RADERUS  (Matthew),  a  learned  Jeiuit,  Was  born  at 
inichenben,  in  the  Tyrol,  in  1561.  He  was  educated 
among,  and  joined  the  society  of  the  Jesuits  in  his  twentieth 
year.  After  having,  through  a  long  life,  borne  the  reputa- 
lion  of  a  man  of  piety  and  erudition,  and  an  able  teacher, 
he  died  December  22,  1634,  in  the  seventy-fourth  year  of 
his  age.  He  was  author  or  editor  of  various  works  con- 
nected with,  his  profession,  and  of  some  of  classical  cri<^ 
ticism.  Among  these  are  the  ^^  Alexandrian  C broniele,'- 
1615, 4 to ;  <<  Bavaria  Sancta,''  Monac.  i  6 1 5-^27, 3  .vols,  folio, 
wiA  plates  bySadeler;  "  Bavaria  Pia,"  ibid,  1628,  folio, 
with  plates  by  the  same ;  an  excellent  edition  of  ^>  Martial/* 
Mentz,  1627,  folio,  and  another  of  ^<  Quintus  Curtius/*  ^  ' 
RADIER.     See  DREUX.  .       f 

RAIKES  (Robert),  a  printer  at  Gloucester,  deserves 
notice  here  as  the  founder  of  that  usefnl  institution  the  Sun- 
j)AY  School,  and  as  a  man  whose  character  ia  to  be  praised 
for  general  benevolence.  The  lives  of  such  men,  however, 
seldom  afibrd  many  particulars,  and  Mr.  Raikes,  living  con^' 
^tantly  at  his  native  place  in  the  regular,  employment  of 
bis  trade,  may  be  said  to  have  passed  his  days  in  compara<» 
tive  retirement.  He  was  born  atGtoucester  in.  1735.  His 
father  was  of  the  same  business  as  himself,  a  printer^  and 
conducted,  for  many  years,  with  successful  merit,  the 
*^  Gloucester  Journal.'^  The  education  Mr.  Raikes  received 
was  liberal,  and  calculated  for  his  future .  designation  ia 
life,  and  at  a  proper  ase  be  was  taught  his  father^s  business^ 
^hich  he  carried  on  tnroughout  the  whole  of  his  life  with 
^reat  reputation. 

Having  prospered  in  the  course  of  trade,  he  began 
•early  to  look  round  for  objects  of  benevolence,  and  first 
found  them  in  the  prisons.  To  relieve  such,  he  employed 
his  pen,  his  influence,  and  his  property,  and  discovering 
that  ignorance  was  the  principal  cause  of  those  offences 
which  render  imprisonment  necessary,  he  formed  a  plan  of 
giving  these  unfortunate  meb  moral  and  religious  iostruc^ 
4;ion,  and  regular  employment,  which  proved  highly  bene-» 
iicial  and  consolatory.  But  that  for  which  be  has  been 
roost  highly  and  deservedly  praised  is  the  institution  of  the 
Sunday  schools,  which  he  planned  in  1781,  and'wbich  are 
now  so  common  as  to  require  no  description.  He  com^* 
jnenced  this  benevolent  undertaking  in  concert  with'  the 


486  R  A  I  K  E  S. 

rev,  Mf.  Stocky  a  clergyman  of  Gloucester,  and  although 
lome  improper  dispptes.  have  arisen  ,as  to.  whom  the 
right  of  founder  belongs,  it  is  well  known  that  these  two  gen-* 
tIemeo< never  thought  it  worth  while  to  contest  the  point,  or 
to  exchange  a  word  on  the  subject,  but  continued  during 
their  lives  to  act  in  perfect  concert  and  harmony ;  and  if 
there  was  any  difference,  it  was  not  in  sseal,  but  in  the  more 
extehsive  range  of  Mr.  Raikes's  acquaintance,  and  the  in- 
fluence he  possessed  to  induct  persons  of  rank  and  opu« 
lence  to  assi^  in  the  plan. 

'  Mr.  Baikes  was  for  some  years  a  member  of  the  court  of 
iLSsistants  of  the  stationers^  company  ;  and  died  at  Glouces^- 
ter  April.  5,' 1811,  aged  seventy-five.  His  brothers  and 
nephews  are  well  known  to  rank  among  the  most  eminent 
merchabts  In  London. '^^ 

RAIMONDI  (Ma^c  Antonio),  the  most  celebrated  of 
the  old  masters'  in  the  art  of  engraving,  was  born  at  Bo«r 
Jogna,  as  fis  generally  supposed,  about  the  year  1487  or 
1488.  His  ifirst  master  wa^  Francesco  francia,  orRaibolini, 
XSee  FranciAi)  a  painter  and  engraver,  from  whom  he 
learned  the  principles  of  drawing,  and  succeeded  so  well, 
that  the  liame  of  Francia  was  added  to  his  own.  It^  does 
not  appear  from  whom  he  learned  engraving  ;  but  it  must 
have  been^  early^  as  the  print  of  '*  l^yranrms  and  Thisbe*'  is 
dated  \602y  and  this,  as  well  as  several  of  bis  first  works 
fiiom  the  designs  of  Francia,  weire  probably  executed  before 
bia  departure  from  Bologna. 

.  Being  desirous  of'  improving  himsdf  by  travelling,  be 
went  to  Venice,  where  he  first  met  with  the  works  of  the 
German  ingravers,'  particularly  a  set  of  wood*cuts  by  Al- 
bert Durer,  representing  *^  the  life  and  passion  of  our  Sa-r 
viour.'*  Yasari  informs  us  that  he  copied  these  with  so 
inuch  exactness,  that  they  were  sold  for  the  originals ;  that 
Albert  Durer  complained  of  the  injury,  and  got  no  redress^ 
unless  an  order  that  Marc  Antonio  should  not,  for  the  fu- 
ture, add  the  cypher  or  monogram  of  Albert  Durer  to  any 
of  the  copies  he  might  make  from  his  ^igravings.  Copy*- 
ing  them,  at  appears,  was  not  thought  illegal,  the  only  in- 
jury being  that  of  appending  the  mark  of  the  person  whose 
works  are  eopied.  But  what  renders  the  story  somewhat 
improbable  is,  that  the  prints  of  *^  the  life  and  passion  of 
our  Saviour*'  by  Marc  Antonio,  have  no  mark  of  Albert 

1  Gent  Mag.  toI.  LXXI.~NicM«'a  B<^wy^r,  voh.  11^.  and  I^ 


R  A  I  M  O  N  D  I.  487 

Oureri  bqt  the  cypher  of  Marc  Antonio  only.  Strutt. thinks, 
that  Vasari  has  mistaken  one  set  of  prints  for  aniOtber,  that 
is^  for  those  of  *^  the  life  of  the  Virgin/*  which  Antonio 
%lso  copied,  and  to  the  last  of  which  he  ladded  his  own 
^yphepr,  as  w^ell  as  the  monogram  .of  Albert  Durer,  some 
proof  that  his  intention  could  not  be  to  usurp  the  fame  of 
the  latter. 

When  Marc  Antonio  quitted  Venice  he  went  to  Rome, 
Tvhere  his  merit  soon  recommended  him  V>  .Rapbaeji  who 
not  only  employed  him  to  engrave  a  considerable  numbef' 
of  bis  designs,  but  assisted  him  in  tracing  and  correcting 
the  Qutlines  upon  the  plates.  Raphael  was  so  pleased  with 
his  performances  that  be.s^nt  many  specimens  pf  them,  as 
^  complimentary  present  to  Albert -Durer,  which  he 
thought  well  worthy  of  his  acceptance.  Antonio's  great 
reputation  brought  many  ypung  artists  to  Rome,  where  he 
formed  a  school  that  sopn  eclipsed  those  of  Germany ;  and 
in  the  process  qf  time  it  was  considered  to  be  as  necessary 
for  an  engraver,  as  for  a  painter,  to  visit  Italy  ;  the  Italian 
atyle  of  engraving  became  ,tbe  standard  of  excellenqe^  and 
at  the  .conclusion  of  the  sixteenth  century,^  the  German 
manner  was  almost  totally  disused.  Ai^ong  his  scholars  the 
most  successful  was  Agostino  de  Musis,  and  Marc  de  Ra- 
venna^ 

After  the  death  of  Raphael,  Marc  Antonio  was  em- 
ployed by  Julio  Romano.  This  cpnnectiqn  was  unfortu- 
nate, for  he  disgraced  himself  and:  his  profession  by  en* 
graving  that  painter's,  abominable  designs  to  9,pcompany 
vAretine's  infamous  verses.  For  this  pop^  Clement  VII. 
i&eot  him  to  prison,  from  which  he  was  released  with  great 
jdifBculty  by  the  interest  of  the  cardinal  Julius  de  Medici 
and  Baccio  Bandinelli,  the  sculptor.  The  exquisiite.o^erit 
of  his  "  martyrdom  of  St.  .Laurence,"  at  length  recon- 
ciled the  pope  to  him,  who  pardoned' his  offence  entirely, 
and  took  him  under  his  protection,  .  He  had  now^ attained 
bis  highest  reputation,  and  had  accumulated,  wealth,  |but 
lost  the  latter  entirely  in  1527,  when  Rome  was  .taken  by 
the  Spanish  army.  .After  this  misfortune  he  retlrjed  to  Bo- 
logna, where  perhaps  he  die^,  but  when  is  not  known. 
.The  lust  print  we  have  of  bis  is  dated  1539,  after  which  be 
cannot  be  traced  withqertaiAty*  Strutt  qoi^siders  him  as 
one  of  the  most  extraordinary  engravers  that  ever  lived. 
'The  purity  of  his  outrmes,  tlie  correctness  with  which  the 
es^tremities  of  his  figures  are  marked,  and  the  beauty  and 


488  R  AIM  O  N  D  L 

character  which  appear  in  the  heads,  prove  him  to  have 
been  a  man  of  great  taste,  and  solid  judgment,  as  well  as  a 
perfect  master  of  drawing.  These  beauties,  without  doubt, 
appear  most  striking  in  his  works  from  Raphael,  a  circum- 
stance which  seems  greatly  to  confirm  the  report  of  his 
heing  much  assisted  by  that  great  master.  Strutt  has 
given  a  list  of  the  best  of  Marc  Antonio's  prints,  which 
however  are  rarely  to  be  met  with  in  their  original  state.  ^ 

RAINBOW  (Edward),  a  pious  and  exemplary  bishop 
of  Carlisle,  w'las  born  April  20,  1608,  at  Bliton,  a  village 
in  Lincolnshire  near  Gainsborough.  His  father,  Thomas, 
was  at  this  time  rector  of  Bliton,  and  afterwards  of  Win- 
tringham  in  the  same  county ;  both  which  preferments  be 
owed  to  the  Wrays  of  Glentworth.  He  married  Rebecca 
Allen,  daughter  of  the  rev.  David  Allen,  rector  of  Lud- 
brough,  a  very  learned  lady,  who  had  been  successfully 
taught  Latin,  Greek,  and  Hebrew,  by  her  father.  Under 
such  parents  he  had  the  advantage  of  a  religious  as  well 
as  learned  education.  For  the  latter  purpose  he  was  sent 
first  to  Fillingham,  and  next,  in  J619,  to  the  public  school 
of  Gainsborough,  whence,  in  April  1620,  he  was  removed 
to  Peterborough  in  Northamptonshire,  and  put  under  the 
tuition  of  Dr.  John  Williams,  afterwards  archbishop  of 
York,  but  then  a  prebendary  of  Peterborough,  and  a  good 
friend  of  old  Mr.  Rainbow.  In  order  to  have  the  farther 
advantage  of  this  gentleman^s  protection,  he  was  sent,  ia 
June  1621,  to  Westminster  school.  Dr.  Williams  being 
then  dean  of  Westminster.  In  all  these  places  his  pro« 
gress  was  marked  by  great  diligence  and  proficiency  in  his 
studies,  and  a  conduct  which  did  credit  to  the  instructions 
of  his  parents. 

in  July  1623,  he  was  entered  of  Corpus  Christi  college, 
Oxford,  of  which  his  elder  brother  was  now  a  member^ 
and  afterwards  died  a  fellow.  Here  he  remained  until  . 
June  1,  1625,  when  he  removed  to  Magdalen  college, 
Cambridge,  in  order  to  enjoy  one  of  the  scholarships  then 
founded  by  the  countess  dowager  of  Warwick,  who  herself 
nominated  him  to  the  same.  In  1627  he  took  his  degree 
of  B.  A.  and  that  of  M.  A.  in  1630,  and  soon  after  was  ap- 
pointed by  the  great  patron  of  his  family,  sir  John  Wray, 
to  be  master  of  the  free-school  at  Kirton,  three  or  four 

1  strati's  Dicn  and  Essay  pre6xed  to  Tol.  II.— Heipeker's  Dictlopnaic^  d^ 
Artistes,  il'^S.— !*Rosc6€'s  Leo, 


R  A  I  N  B  O  WI  469^ 

«(ii)es  from  Bliton,  his  native  place.  His  testimonials  from 
tfae  university  proved  that  he  was  more  than  sufficient  for 
this  situation.  He  had  indeed,  while  at  college,  distin- 
jguished  himself  on  one  or  two  occasions  by  an  uncommoa 
display  of  talent,  particularly  when  the  Tripos  delivered  a 
scurrilous  speech,  and  being  iDternipted,  Mr.>  Rainbonr 
was  ordered, 'without  any  prepa,ration,  to  take  his  place* 
On  this  occ&sion  he  delivered  an  extempore  speech  with 
so  much  delicacy  of  wit,  and  chastened  satire,  as  to  re-  * 
ceive  universal  approbation. 

'    Kirton  school,  to  which  he  had  now  removed,  was  never, 
much  to  his  liking,  and  he  therefore  soon  left  it,  and  came 
to  London.     When  he  was  admitted  to  orders-  does  not 
-  appear,  but  we  first  hear  of  his  preaching  at  Gleptworth  in 
1632.    In  London  he  first  took  up  his  residence  in  Fuller's 
Rehts,  but  in  three  months  removed  to  Sion  college  for 
the  sake  of  the  library  there.     He  also  becanve  a  candidate 
for  the  preachersbip  of  Lincoln^s-inn,  but  was  not  success-^ 
ful.     In  June  of  that  year,  however,  he  was  appointed  cu- 
rate at  the  Savoy,  and  being  invited  back  to  his  college  bj 
•Dr.  Smith  the  master,  and  some  others  of  the  society,  he 
Was,  in  1634,  admitted  to  a  fellowship.     After  his  return 
to  the  university,  he  appears  to  have  resided  occasionally^ 
or  for  some  stated  time,  annually,  at  London,  where,  in 
the  year  above  mentioned,  he  preached  one  sermon,  printed 
at  the  request  of  his  friends,  and  another  in  1639  ;  but  it 
was  at  the  university  that  his  sermons  were  most  admired, 
and  his  hearers  most  numerous.     Here  too,  as  id  the  case 
of  the  tripoSy  he  was  suddenly  called  upon  to  supply  the 
place  of  a  gentleman  who  was  unexpectedly  absent,  and 
acquitted  himself  with  great  credit,  \t\  an  extempore  dis- 
course.    He  does  not,  however,  appear  to  have  reviewed 
his   early  sermons  with    much  pleasure,    finding  that  he 
bad  indulged  too  much  in   a  declamatory  kind  of  style, 
which  he  did  not  think  becoming  in  such  compositions,  nor 
to  be  preferred  to  the  plain  exposition  of  the  doctrinal 
parts  of  the  Holy  Scriptures.   With  the  same  conscientious 
feeling,  when  he  became  a  college  tutor  in  1635,  he  added 
to  other  branches  of  instruction,  a  knowledge  of  the  foun- 
dation  and  superstructure  of  religion ;  and  so  acceptable 
was  bis  mode  of  leaching,  that  the  master  of  the  college 
recommended  to  his  care,  the  sons  of  some  noblemen,  par- 
ticularly Theophilus  earl  of  Suffolk.      In  1639,    he  was 
chosen  deau  of  his  coUege,  and  the  following  year  attended 


490  K  A  I  N  B  O  W. 

J^ines  earl  of  Sufiblk,  son  to  Tbeophilus,  to  the.  Loog 
parliameDt.  Id  1642,  on  the  death  of  Dr.  Saiitb,.he.was 
elected  oiaster  lof  Magdaleo  college,  With  tlie  concurrence 
of  the  earl.  la  1646  he  took  his  degree  of  D.  D.  and  chose 
for  the  subject  of  his  thesis  a  defence  of  the  principles  of 
the  church  of  England,  as  containing  every  .thing  ne<;e8« 
sary  to  salvation.  For  sooije  time  he  does  not  appear  ta 
Iiave  been  molested  for  this  attempt  to  support  a  church 
which  the  majority  were  endeavouring  to  pull  down,  Iq 
1650,  however,  when  he  refused  to  sign  a  protestation 
against  the  king^  he  was  deprived  of  the  mastership,  which 
he  was  very  willing  to  give  up  rather  than  comply  with  the 
party  in  power.  His  steady  friend,  however,  the  earl'  of 
/Suffolk,  gave  him  the  small  living  of  Little  Chesterford 
liear  Audiey,  Inn  in  Essex,  in  1652,  but  this  he  held  only 
hy  his  lordship's  presentation,  as  he  determined  never  to 
aubmit  to  an  examination  by  the  republican  triers,  as  they 
were  called. 

Unpromising  as  his  situation  now  was,  he  married  Eli- 
zahetb,  daughter  of  Dr.  Smith,  his  predecessor  in  the 
mastership  of  the  college.  In  performing  his  duties,  as  a 
parish  priest,  he  used  a  selection  from  the  conamoo  prayer- 
book,  with  which  his  hearers,  many  of  whom  had  never 
read  them,  were  very  much  pleased.  He  also  regularly 
visited  and  catechised  his  flock,  and  by  works  of  charity 
gradually  gained  upon  their  affections.,' In  1659,  he  ao« 
cepted  the  rectory  of  Benefield  in  Northamptonshire,  from 
the  earl  of  Warwick,  but  still  on  condition  of  having  nor 
thing  to  do  with  the  triers;  and  here  likewise  he  became 
yery  popular. 

'  On  the  restoration,  in  1660,  he  was  replaced  in  the  roas« 
kersbip  of  Magdalen  college,  appointed  chaplain  to  the 
king,  and  the  year  following  was  promoted  to  the  deanery 
i>f  Peterborough.  In  1662,  being  elected  vice-chancellor 
of  the  university,  which  obliged  him  to  reside  there,  he 
greatly  contributed  to  restore  proper  discipline.  In  1664, 
he  was  .appointed  bishop  of  Carlisle,  so  much  against  his 
inclination,  that  it  required  the  utmost  importunity  of  his 
friends  to  reconcile  him  to  a  stajtion  for  which  his  modesty 
made  him  think  he  was  unfit.  After  consecration^  although 
the  expences  attending  his  entrance  on  this  office  were 
very  considerable,  he  immediately  resigned  all  his  other 
preferments ;  but  when  he  found  in  what  a  state  his  prede- 
cessor (Dr.  S.tern)  had  left  the  episcopal  residence,  Rose 


RAINBOW.  491 

castle,  be  thought  it  his  duty,  however  uhwillitigly,  to  sue 
iiioi  for  dilapidations,     fle  then,  at  great  expence,  repaired 
the  castle,   and  rebuilt  the  chapel  entirely^     His  more 
serious  attention,  however,  was  bestowed  on  the  various 
duties  of  his  office,  both  with  respect  to  the  clergy,  and 
jpeople.     To  the  former,  in  particular,  be  set  an  example 
of  diligence  in  preaching,  catechising,  &c.  and  in   hos- 
pitality.    He  had  prayers  four  times  a  day  in   his  fi^mily. 
'Aftet  continuing  this  course  for  twenty  years,,  be  became 
a  martyr  to  the  stone  and  ^out,  with  alternate  fits  pf  both 
which  be  had  long  been  afflicted.     He  died  at  ^Rose  clistie, 
'March  26,  1^84,  in  his  seventy-sixth  year,  and  was  in^ 
terred  in  Dalston  church-yard,  where  a  plain  stone  inti- 
mates only  bis  name  and  title.    He  printed  three  occasional 
sermons :    one  we    have  already  mentioned,  which   was 
preached  at   St.  Paul's  cross,    Sept.   28,   1634,    entitled 
**'  Labour  forbidden  and  commanded  ;''  the  second  was  on 
the  funeral  of  Susannah,  countess  of  Suffolk,  preached 
May  13,  1649,  and  printed  with  some  elegies  by  Drs.  Col- 
lins and  Duport.     This   Baxter  recommended  to  be  re-, 
printed  among  Clark^s  Lives.     The  third  was  on  the  fune- 
ral of  the  celebrated  Anne  countess  of  Pembroke,  Dorset, 
and  Montgomery,  at  Appleby  in  Westnaioreland,  April  14, 
1676.     He  appears  to  have  been  a  man  of  polite  manners, 
lincommon  learning,  and  of  exemplary  piety  and  charity. 
In  1670,  he  joined  with  Dr.  Wilkins,  biishop  of  Chester, 
in  opposing  the  conventicle  act.^ 

RAINE  {MAtTH£W),  an  eminent  scholar  and  teacher, 
ivas  born  May  20,  1^60.  He  received  the  first  rudiments 
of  bis  education  uiider  his  father,  the  rev.  Matthew  Raine, 
Mrbo  was  for  many  yaars  a  scboplmaster  of  ability  and  re- 
putation at  Hackforcfa  near  Richmond  in  Yorkshire.  In 
June  1772,  he  was  admitted  on  the  foundation  of  the 
dharter-house,  to  which  he  was  nominated  by  the  king  at 
the  request  of  lord  Holderness.  After  distinguishing  him- 
self, as  a  boy,  he  was  elected,  in  1778,  to  ^  Charter-house 
exhibition  at  Trinity  college,  Cambridge,  of  which  he  be-» 
came  a  fellow  in  1783,  having  taken  the  degree,  of  B.  A. 
in  1782.  He  engaged  for  some  time  in  tuition  at  the  uni- 
versity, and  had  several  distinguished  pupils.  In  1791, 
]ie  was  elected  schoolmaster  of  the  Charter-house,  his  only 

-    1  Life  by  Jonatlian  BaoHSj  and  Funeral  Sermon   by  bis  cbaplaio,  tbc  rev. 
qrbos.  Tally,  1688,  I2ai0. 


492  R  A  I  N  £. 

opponent  being  Charles  Burney,  D.  D.  whose  talents  as  a 
scholar  were  «ven  then  generally  acknowledged,  and  are 
now  perhaps  unrivalled. 

Mr.  Raine  having  been  advanced  to  this  important  star 
lion,  for  which  no  man  was  ever  better  qualified,,  he  pror 
ceeded  to  take  the  degree  of  D.  D.  in  1798.  In  1809,  he 
was  elected  preacher  to  the  hon.  society  of  Gfay^s-inn,  and 
in  the  year  following,  was  presented  by  the  governors  .of 
the  Charter-house  to  the  rectory  of  Little  Hallingbury  ip 
Essex,  whither  be  bad  intended  to  retire  at  the  close  of 
1811.  But  in  the  early  part  of  the  year,  bis  frame  was  sp 
weakened  by  a  violent  fit  of  the  gout,  added  to. bis  cares 
^d  anxiety  for  the  school,  and  the  labour  which  be  be* 
stowed  on  his  compositions  for  the  pulpit,  that  on  a  recur- 
rence of  his  disorder,  at  the  close  of  the  summer,  he  waiff 
unable  to  throw  it  out,  and  died  of  suppressed  gout,  Sept. 
17,  1810.  His  remains  are  deposited  in  Charter-house 
chapel,  and  a  monument  with  an  inscription  written  by 
Dr.  Parr,  has  been  erected  to  his  memory  by  his  scholars. 
The  present  school-room,  built  during  his  mastership,  and 
4be  improvements  made  by  him  in  tlie  dormitory,  will  long 
xemain  as  proofs  of  the  attention  which  Dr.  Raine  paid  to 
Xhe  discipline  and  good  order  of  the  school;  and  such  was 
the  mildness  and  sweetness  of  his  disposition,  that  his  pu*- 
pils  loved  and  revered  him  while  at  school,  and  were  his 
friends  through  life.  .    i 

In  the  pulpit,  the  excellent  choice. and  arrangement  of 
his  subject,  and  the  graceful  dignity  of  his  manner,  com- 
,bined  with  a  superior  eloquence  and  harmony  of  voice^ 
commanded  the  attention  of  his  hearers,  and  whenever  h^ 
preached,,  the  chapel  of  Gray^s-inn  was  thronged  by  a  nu* 
xnerous  and  enlightened  audience. — But  his  labours  were 
not  confined  to  the  school  and  the  pulpit.  He  was  one  of 
.the  first  and  most  activ-e  managers  of  the  London  Institu- 
tion ;  and  the  ^^  Society  of  Schoolmasters^'  is  mainly  in^ 
debted  to  bis  generous  support  for  its  present  respecta* 
bility  and  importance..  , 

Among  bis  intimate  friends  were  all.  the  first  scholars  of 
the  day;  and  none  was  more  indebted  to  the  friendship  of 
Dr.  Raipe  than  professor  Porson,  whose  successor  in  the 
professorial  chair  it  was  no  little  satisfaction  to  Dr.  Rainf 
to  have  educated  under  his  own  care  at  the  Charter-house. 

The  literary  world  have  much  cause  to  regret  the  pt^^ 
mature  death  of  Dr.  Raine.     He  had  turned  bis  thought^ 


R  A  I  N  E.  49^ 

to  many  subjects  of  great  interest  to  the  classical  scholar^* 
but  his  delicacy  was  so  great,  that  he  scrupled  to  publish, 
without  more  mature  consideration  than  bis  employment 
gave  him  leisure  to  bestow  on  them.  He  published  only 
two  sermons,  ^t  the  request  of  those  before  whoni  they  were 
preached;  one  preached  at  Kingston-upon-Thames,  Feb. 
19,  1786,  on  the  death  of  capt.  Pierce,'  commander  of  the 
Halseweli  East  Indiaman  ;  the  other,  a  York  assize  ser« 
mon,  preached  July  26,  1789,  when  the  father  of  his  pupil 
Walter  Fawkes,  esq.  was  high  sheriff.* 

RAINOLDS  (John),  one  of  the  most  learned  and  emi- 
nent (divines  of  the  sixteenth  century,  and  a  strenuous 
champion  against  popery,  ^as  the  fifth  son  of  Richard 
Rainolds  of  Pinho,  or  Penhoe,  near  Exeter  in  Devonshire, 
where  he  was  born  in  1549.  He  became  first  a  student  in. 
'  Mertoti  college,  Oxford,  in  1562,  of  which  his  uncle.  Dr. 
Thomas  Rainolds,  had  been  warden  in  queen  Mary's  time, 
bujt  was  ejected  in  1559  for  his  adherence  to  popery,  which 
appears  to  have  been  the  religion  of  the  family.  In  1563 
he  ivas  admitted  a  scholar  of  Corpus  Cbristi  college,  and 
in  October  1566,  was  chosen  probationer  fellow.  In  Oct. 
1568,  he  took  his  degree  of  bachelor  of  arts,  and  in  May 
1572,  that  of  master,  being  then  senior  of  the  ac^,  and 
founder's  Greek  lecturer  in  his  college,  in  which  last  sta-> 
tion  he  acquired  great  reputation  by  his  lectures  on  Aris- 
totle. 

.  A  story  is  told  by  Fuller  and  others,  that  Mr.  Rainolds 
was  at  first  a  zealous  papist,  and  his  brother  William  a 
professed  protestant;  but  that  having  frequently  disputed 
together,  the  issue  was  a  change  of  principles  on  both 
sides,  John  becoming  a  zealous  protestant,  and  William  a 
papist.  As  no  time  is  specified  when  this  change  toojc 
place,  we  may  be  permitted  to  entertain  some  doubts  of 
its  authenticity.  John  Rainolds  entered  the  university  at 
a  verj)r  early  age,  and  at  a  time  when  the  reformed  religioa 
was  so  fully  established  and  guarded  there,  that  had  he 
been  a  zealous  papist,  he  could  not  have  escaped  censure ; 
but  of  this  no.thing  is  upon  record :  on  the  contrary,  his. 
first  public  appearances  were  all  in  support  of  the;  doctrines 
of  the  reformation,  and  his  established  character  appears 
to  have  given  great  weight  to  his  opifnions  on  matters  in, 
dispute  at  Oxford.     In  1576,  when  he  was  only  in.  his 

*    ''       '  »         *  From prirate  communication,  * 


^9*  R  A  I  N  O  L  D  S. 

twenty ^sevehth'year^  vte  iBnd  faim  opposing  the  gmfigtbi 
degree  of  D.  D.  to  Corrano  (Seer  Corrano)  who  was  su»i 
pected  of  being  unsound  in  certain  doctrinal  points. 
Wood  has  preserved  a  long  letter  of  hison  this  subjefct^ 
which  shows  him  well  versed  in  religious  controversy,  and 
decidedly  for  the  doctrines  of  the  reformers. 

In  June  1 579,  be  took  the  degree  of  bacbelov  of  divihiiy, 
iand  in  June  1585  that  of  doctor,  and  on  both  occasions 
maintained  theses  which  had  for  their  subject,  the  defence 
of  the  church  of  England  in  her  separation  from  that  of 
Rome.  This  was  a  point  which  he  had  carefully  studied 
by  a  perusal  of  ecclesiastical  records  and  histories.  He 
held  also  a  controversy  with  Hart,  a  chanipion  for  popery ;' 
and  on  this,  as  well  as  well  as  every  other  occasion,  ac* 
quitted  himself  with  so  much  ability,  that  in  XS^6y  when  a 
new  divinity  lecture  was  fbunded  at  Oxford  by  sir  Francis 
Walsii^ham^  principal  secretary  of  state,  he  desired  that 
Dr.  Raioolds  might  be  the  first  lecturer,  and  he  was  aic«« 
cordtngly  chosen.  Wood  and  Collier,  whose  prejudi<jes 
against  the  reformation  are  sometimes  but  thinly  di^guisedy 
represent  the  design  of  th^  founder'and  of  others  in  the 
university  with  whom  he  consulted,  as  being  '*  to  make 
the  difFeirence  between  the  churches  wide  enough*^ — ^*^  to 
make  the  religion  of  the  church  of  Rome  more  odious,  atid 
the  difference  betwixt  them  and  the  protestants  to  appeal^ 
more  irreconcileable,"  &c.  The  intention,  however,  plainly 
was,  to  countei-act  the?  industry  of  the  popish  party  itt  pro- 
pagating their  opinions  and  seducing  the  ^tud^nts  of  the 
university,  in  which  they  were  too  frequently  successfoh 
And  XVood  allows  that  the  founder  of  this  lecture,  "that 
he  might  not  fail  of  his  purpose  to  rout  the  papists  and 
their  religion,'*  could  not  have  chosen  a  fitt€?r  person,  fot 
Rainolds  was  a  man  of  infrnUe  reading,  and  of  a'  tast  me-^ 
mory.  He  accordingly  read  this  Idcture  ifi  the  divinity 
school  thrice  a  week  in  full  terrt,  aind  hiAd'  a  crosi^ded  a\i«i 
ditory.  Wood  says  erroneously,  that  when  ttppoirtted  id 
this  lecture  he  was  dean  of  Lincoln;  but  thist  digtfity  was 
not  conferred  upon  him  until'  1593,  (o'Ot  159a  as  Wood 
says).  It  was  the  gift  Of  the  queen,  Wh6  was  tnUch  pleaised 
with  the  report. of  his  services  in  opp^'iiit^g  popery,  tod 
offered  him  a  bishopric ;  but  he  preferred  a  colled  lifft, 
where  he  thought  he  could  do  most  good  by  traiiiing'Up  at 
race  of  defenders  of  the  reformation,  a  measure  then  of 
great  importance.     That  he  might  have  no  temptation  to 


R  A  r  N  O  L  D  S.  495 

relax  in  this  care,  he,  in  15i)8,  exchanged  the  deanery  of 
Lincoln  for  the  presidentship  of  Corpus  Cbristi  college^ 
and  was  elected  Dec.  1 1  of  that  year,  and  sooii  after  re« 
moved  to  the  presidents  lodgings  at  Corpus,  from  aooie 
chambers  which  he  bad  been  allowed  in  Queen's  college^ 
To  Corpus  Christ!  he  became  an  eminent  benefactor  by 
restoring  their  finances,  which  had  been  impoverished  by 
the  neglect  or  avarice  of  some  of  his  predecessoi^s,  at  the 
same  time  that  he  made  more  effectual  provision  for  the 
scholars,  chaplains,  and  clerks,  that  he  might  retain  iti 
college  such  as  were  useful.  He  also  repaired  the  chapel, 
hall,  and  library;  but  his  more  particular  attention  was 
paid  to  the  rules  of  discipline,  and  the  proficiency  of  the 
students  in  learning  and  religion. 

in  1603,  when  the  Hampton-court  conference  took 
place,  we  find  him  ranged  on  the  puritan  side ;  6n  thia 
occasion,  he  was  their  spokesman^  and  it  may  therefore 
be  nefeessary  to  give  some  *  account  of  what  he  proposed^ 
as  this  will  enable  the  reader  in  some  measure  to  determine 
how  far  the  puritans  of  the  following  reign  can  claim  him 
as  their  ancestor.  At  this  conference,  he  proposed, 
1.  "  That  the  Doctrine  of  the  Church  might  be  preserved 
in  purity,  according  to  God's  word."  2.  "  That  good 
Pastors  might  be  planted  in  all  churches  to  preach  the 
same.''  3.  '*  That  the  Church-government  might  be  sin«« 
cerely  ministred  according  to  God's  word."  4.  "  That  the 
book  of  Common  Prayer  might  be  fitted  to  thp  more  in- 
crease of  Piety."  With  regard  to  the  first  he  moved  hi» 
majesty,  that  the  book  of  '^  Articles  of  Rehgion"  concluded 
in  1562,  might  be  explained  in  places  obscure,  and  enlarged 
where  some  things  were  defective.  For  example,  whereas 
Art.  16,  the  words  are  these,  "After  we  have  received 
the  Holy  Ghost,  we  may  depart  from  Grace;"  notwith-> 
standing  the  meaning  may  be  sound,  yet  he  desired,  that 
because  they  may  seem  to  be  contrary  to  the  doctrine  of 
God's  Predestination  and  Election  in  the  ITth  Article, 
both  these  words  might  be  explained  with  this  or  the  like 
addition^  <^  yet  neither  totally  nor  finally ;"  and  also  that 
Ihe  nine  assertions  orthodoxall,  as  he  termed  theni,  i.  e. 
the  Lambeth  articles,  might  be  inserted  into  that  book  of 
articles.  Secondly,  where  it  is  said  in  the  23d  Article, 
that  it  is  not  lawful  for  any  man  to  take  upon  him  the 
office  of  preaching  or  admiiiisteriilg  the  Sacraments  ^4h  the 
congregation,"  before  he  be'  lawfully  called.  Dr.  Rainolds 


496  R  A  I  N  O  L  D  8. 

took  exception  to  tbese  words,  '^  in  the  congregfttioh/''a< 
implying  a  lawfulness  for  any  whatsoever,  '^  out  of  the 
congregation/'  to  preach  and  administer  the  Sacraments^ 
though  he  had  no  lawful  calling  thereunto.  Thirdly,  in 
the  25th  Article,  these  words  touching  ^^  ConSrmation^ 
grown  partly  of  the  corrupt  following  the  Apostles,'*  being* 
opposite  to  those  in  the  collect  of  Confirmation  in  the  Com* 
munion-book,  '^  upon  whom  after  the  example  of  the 
Apostles/'  argue,  said  he,  a  contrariety  each  to  others 
the  first  confessing  confirmation  to  be  a  depraved  imita^ 
tion  of  the  Apostles ;  the  second  grounding  it  upon  their 
example,  A<Hs  viii.  19,- as  if  the  bishop  by  confirming  of 
children,  did  by  imposing  of  hands,  as  the  Apostles  in 
those  places,  give  the  visible  Gfpaces  of  the  Holy  Ghosts 
And  therefore  he  desired,  that  both  the  contradiction 
might  be  considered,  and  this  ground  of  Confirmation  ex-^ 
amined.  Dr.  Rainolds  afterwards  objected  ^to  a  defect  in 
the  37th  Article,  wherein,  he  said,  these  words,  ^^  The 
Bishop  of  Rome  hath  no  authority  in  this  land,"  were  not 
sulBScient,  unless  it.  were  added,.  ^*  nor  ought  to  have." 
He  next  moved,  that  this  proposition,  ^^  the  intention  of 
the  minister  is  not  of  the  essence  of  the  Sacrament,"  might 
be  .added  to  the  book  of  Articles,  the  ratber  because  some 
in  England  had  preached  it  to  be  essential.  And  here 
again  be  repeated  his.  request  concerning  the  nine  ^^  ortho- 
doxall  assertions"  concluded  at  Lambeth.  He  then  com- 
plained^ that  th%Catechism  in  the  Common-Prayer-book 
was  too  brief;  for  which  reason  one  by  Nowel,  fate  deaii 
of  St.  Paul's,  was  added,  and  that  too  long  for  young  no* 
vices  to  learn  by  heart.  He  requested,  therefore,  that  one 
uniform  Catechism  might  be  diade,  which,  and  none  other^ 
might  be  generally  received.  He  next  took  notice  of  the 
profanation  of  the  Sabbath,  and  the  contempt  of  his  ma^^ 
jesty's  proclamation  for  reforming  that  abuse;  and  desired 
some  stronger  remedy  might  be  applied.  His  n^xt  request 
was  for  a  new  translation  of  the  Bible,  because  those  which 
were  allowed  in  the  reign  of  Henry  VIU,  and  Edward  VL 
were  corrupt  and  not  answerable  to  the  original^  of  which 
he  gave  three  instances.  He  then  desired  his  majesty^, 
that  unlawful  and  seditious  bopks  might  be  suppressed, ,  at 
least  restrained,  and  imparted  to  a  few.  He  proceeded- 
now:  to  the  second  point,  and  desired  that  learned  miui* 
sters  might  be  planted  tn  every  parish^  He  next. went  on, 
to  the  fourth  point  relating  to  the  Common^rPrayer,  and. 


H  A  I  N  O  L  D  S-  49t 

complained  of  the  imposing  Sobscriptioo,  since  it  was  s 
great  impediment  to  a  learned  ministry;  and  intreated; 
that  ^^  it  might  not  be  exacted  as  formerly,  for  which  many 
good  men  were  kept  out,  others  removed,  and  many  dis- 
quieted. To  subscribe  according  to  the  statutes  of  the 
realm,  namely,  to  the  articles  of  religion,,  and  the  king*i^ 
supremacy,  they  were  not  unwilling.  Their  reason  of 
their  backwardness  to  subscribe  otherwise  was,  firat/  the 
books  Apocryphal,  which  the  Common-Prayer  enjoiiie^d  to 
be  read  in  the  church,  albeit  there  are,  in'  some  of  those 
chapters  appointed,  manifest  errors,  directly  repugnant  to 
the  scriptures  ....  The  next  scruple  against  subscrip-^ 
tiou  was,  that  in  the  Common-Prayer  it  is  twice  set  down, 
^  Jesus  said  to  his  Disciples,*  when  as  by  the  text  original 

it  is  plain,  that  he  spake  to  the  Pharisees The 

third  objection  against  subscription  were  ^  Interrogatories 
in  Baptism,'  propounded  to  infants."  Dr.  Rainolds  owned 
^^  the  use  of  the  Cross  to  have  been  ever  since  the  Apostle^ 
time;  but  this  was. the  difficulty,  to  prove  it  of  that  ancient 
use  in  Baptism.^'  He  afterwards  took  exceptions  at  those 
words  in  the  Office  of  Matrimony,  "  With  my  body  I  thee 
worship ;''  and  objected  against  the  churching  of  womea 
by  the .  name  of  Purification.  Under  the  third  general 
head  touching  Discipline  he  took  exception  to  the  com« 
mitting  of  ecclesiastical  censures  to  lay-chancellors.  *^  His 
reason  was,  that  the  statute  made  in  king  Henry's  time  for 
their  authority  that  way  was  abrogated  in  queen  Mary's 
time,  and  not  revived  in  t,he  late  queen's  days,  and 
abridged  by  the  bishops  themselves,  1571,  ordering  that 
the  said  lay-cbance)lors  should  not  excommunicate  in  mat- 
ters of  correction,  and  anno  1584  and  1589,  not  in  matterd 
of  instance,  but  to  be  done  only  by  them,'  who  had  the 
power  of  the  keys."  He  then  desired,  that  according  to 
certain  provincial  constitutions,  they  of  the  clergy  might 
have  meetings  once  every  three  weeks:  first,  in  rural 
deaneries,  and  therein  to  have  the  liberty  of  prophesying, 
according  as  archbishop  Grindal  and  other  bishops  desired 
of  her  late  majesty.  Secondly,  that  such  things,  as 
could  not  be  resolved  upon  there,  might  be  referred  front 
theace  to  the  episcopal  synods,  where  the  bishop  with  his 
Presbyteri  should  determine  all  such  points  as  befoY6 
could' not  be  decided.  Notwithstanding  our  author's  con-« 
duct  at  this  conference.  Dr.  Simon  Patrick  observes,  that 
be  professed  himself  a  conformist  to  the  church  of  Eng^ 
VOL.XXV,  Kk 


4»S  n  A  I  N  O  :L  D  S. 

land,  and  died  so.  He  remarks,  that  Dr.  Richard  Crakan^ 
thorp  tells  the  archbisbop  of  Spalato,  that  the  doctor  wa» 
no  Puritan  (as  the  ari;bbisbpp  called  biin).  '^  For,  firsts- 
be  professed,  that  be  appeared  unwillingly  in  the  cause  at 
Hampton-court,  and.  merely  in  obedience  to  the  king's 
command.  And  then  he  ^oke  not  one  word  there  against 
tbe  bierarchyt  Nay,  he  acknowledged  it  to  be.  consonant 
to  the  word  of  God  in  hi9  conference  with  Hart.  And  in  an 
answer  to  Sanders's  book  of  the  ^  Scbi$m  of  England'  (whic^ 
is  in  tbe, archbishop's  library)  he  professes^  that  he  approve? 
of  the  book  of  *  consecrating  and  ordering  bishops,  priests, 
and  deacons.'  He  was  also  a  strict,  observer  of  all  the 
orders  of  the  church  and  university  both  in  public  and  bis 
own  college;  wearing  the  square  cap  and  surplice,  kneel- 
ing at  the  Sacrament,  and  he  himself  commemorating  their 
benefactors  at. the  times  /their  statutes  appointed,  and 
reading  that  chapter  of  £cclesia^ticus,  which  is  on  suoh 
Occasions  used.  In  a  letter  also  of  bis  to  archbishop  Ban- 
croft (then  in  Dr.  Crakanthorp's  hands),  he  professes  him- 
self conformable  to  the  church  of  England,  ^  willingly 
and  from  his  heart,'  his  conscience  admonishing  hi^i^sOito 
be.  And  thus  he  remained  persuaded  to  his  last  ^breatbr 
desiring  to  receive,  absolution  according .  to  the.  manner 
prescribed  in  our  liturgy,  when,  he  lay  on  his  death-bed  ; 
which  he  did  from  Dr.  Holland,  the  king's  professor .  in 
Oxford^  kissing ^his  hand  in  token  of  his  love  and  joy,  and 
within  a  few  hours  after  resigned  up  his  soul  to  God.'* 

Wood  says,  perhaps  justly,  that  the  "  bes t. matter"  .pi;o-« 
duced  by  this  Hampton-court  conference  was  the  new  trans- 
lation of  the  Bible,  which  is  now  the  authorized  translation. 
It  was  begun  in  1604,  by  forty-seven  divines  of  Westmin- 
ster and  the  two  universities.  Dr.  Rainolds  h%d  too  cpqcfa 
reputation  as  a  Greek  and  Hebrew  scholar  to  be  omitted 
from  this  list.  Some  of  tbe  prophets  appear  to  have  been 
the  portion  allotted  to  him,  but  his  growing  infirmities.did 
not,  it  is  thought,  permit  him  ^o  do  much.  The  Oxford 
translators,  however,  used  to  meet  at  bis  lodging  in  Corpus 
college,  once  a  week,  and  compared  what  they  had  dooe 
in  his  company.  During  this  undertaking  he  was  seized 
with  the  consumption  of  which  be  died.  May  21,  1607,  in 
the  fifty-eighth  year  of  his  age. 

His  death  is  thus  recorded  by  Anthony  Wood,  with  his 
character  taken  from  various  contemporaries. 

^'  It  must  not  be  forgotten  that  this  year  died  Dr.  John 
RaiUQlds>  president  of  Corpus  Christi  coUege>  one  of.  sa 


RAIN  0  L  »  S.  49» 

prodigious  ^  niemory  that  he  inight  hare  beeti  called  a 
'Walking  library  ;  of  so  virtuous  and  holy  life  and  conviersa-^ 
tion  (as  writers  say)  that  he  very  well  deserved  to  be  red** 
lettered;  so  eminent  and  conspicuous,  that  as' Nazianzen 
speaketh  of  Athanasius,  it  might  be  said  of  him  <to  name 
Kainolds  is  to  commend  virtue  itself.'  He  had  turned 
over  (as  I  conceive)  all  writers,  profaue,  ecclesiastical  and 
divine,  all  the  councils,  fathers,  and  histories  of  the' 
thurch.  He  was  most  excellent  in  all  tongues  which 
might  be  any  way  of  use,  or  serve  for  ornament  to  a 
divine.  He  was  of  a  sharp  and  nimble  wit,  of  a  gf'ave 
and  mature  judgment,  of  indefatigable  industry,  exceeding^ 
therein  Origeii  surnamed  Adamaiitius.  He  was  so  well 
seen  in  all  arts  arid  sciences,  as  if  he  had  spent  his  whole 
time  in  each  of  them.  Eminent  also  was  he  accounted  for 
Ins  conference  had  with  king  James  and  others  at  Hampton 
Court;  though  wronged  by  the  publisher  thereof,  as  he 
was  often  heard  to  say.  A  person  also  so  much  respected 
by  the  generality  of  the  academicians  for  his  learning  and 
piety,  that  happy  and  honoured  did  they  account  them- 
selves that  could  have  discourse  with  him.  At  times  of 
kfisure  he  delighted  much  to  talkvwith  young  towardly* 
86fafDlars,  communicating  his  wisdom  to  the  encouraging 
tbem  in  their  studies,  even  to  the  last  A  little  before  his 
death,  when  he  could  not  do  such  good  offices,  be  ordered 
his  executors  to  have  his  books  (except  those  he  gave  to 
his  college  and  certain  great  persons),  to  be  disp^r&kl 
among  them.  There  was  no  house  of  learning  then  in 
Oxford,  but  certain  scholars  of  each  (somei  to  the  number 
of  twenty,  some  less,)  received  of  his  bounty  in  that  kind^ 
as  a  catalogue  of  them  (with  the  names  of  the  said  scholars) 
which  I  have  lying  by  me  sheweth."  This  catalogue  Wood 
prinits  in  a  note.  It  records  the  dispersion  of  a  very  con- 
isiderable  library  among  the  students  of  the  different  col- 
leges, to  the  amount  of  two  hundred  and  eighty,  many  of 
whom  became  afterwards  men  of  great  eminence  in  the 
<*burch.  He*  also  bequeathed  some  books  to  the  Bodleian, 
and  some  to  his  relations.  •  He  was  interred  with  great  so-: 
lemnity  in  the  chapel  of  Corpus  Christi  college^  where  a 
monument  was  erected  to  his  memory  by  his  successor  in 
the  presidentship,  Dr.  Spenser,  with  the  following  in- 
scription:  •"  Virtuti  sacrum.  Jo.  Rainoldo  S.  Theol.  D. 
eruditione,  pietate,  integritate  incomparabile,  hujus  ColU 
JPrseses,    qui  obiit,   &c.  Jo.   Spenser  auditor,  successor, 

K  K  2  . 


609  B  A  I  N  O  L  D  S« 

Tirtutum  et  safictiUitis  admirator  H.  M.  aoidris  erga  postiit.'' 
Dn  Rainolds  wr^te  some  controversial  works  published  in 
his  life*tiaiey  enumerated]  by  Wood,  and  sermons  on  the 
prophecies  of  Ohadiah  and  Haggai,  whicli  with  some  other 
pieces  appeared  after  his  death ;  that  on  Haggai  was  pub- 
lished during  the  rebeltion  to  enlist  hidi  on  the  side  of 
those  who  were  enemies  to  the  church  establishment,  to 
which  he  ever  appears  to  have  been  attached ;  although 
he  may  be  ranked  among  doctrinal  puritans.  Motives  for 
publication  like  these  throw,  an  atr  of  suspicion  upon  the 
worls,  and  incline  us  to  doubt  whether  they  now  .appear 
as  he  left  them. 

His  brother,  William  Rainolds,  above  mentioned,  was 
educated  in  Winchester  school,  and  became  fellow  of 
New  college  in  1562.  The  story  of  bis  turning  Roman 
'Catholic  in  consequence  of  a  dispute  with  his  brother  John, 
seems  discredited  by  Wood ;  and  Dodd  gives  farther  reason 
to  question  it,  on  the  authority  of  father  Parsons,  who  was 
told  by  Rainolds  himself,  that  bis  first  doubts  on  the  sub^ 
ject  were  occasioned  by  perusing  JewelPs  Works,  and  exa- 
mining the  authors  quoted  by  that  learned  prelate.  It  is 
certain,  however,  that  he  left  a  benefice  he  bad  in  North-* 
amptonsbire,  and  went  to  Rheims,  where  he  could  have 
the  free  exercise  of  his  adopted  religion,  sind  was  made 
professor  of  divinity  and  Hebrew.  At  last  h<b  returned  to 
AntWerp,  where  he  died  in  1594.  He  wrote  gainst' Whi* 
taker,  and  other  works  in  the  popish  controversy.  Two 
letters  to  him  are  printed  with  bis  brother  John's  ^  Ora« 
tiones,"  Oxon.  1614,  1628,  4to.  There  was  a  third  bro« 
ther,  Edmund,  educated  at  Corpus  college,  Oxford,  who 
was  ejected  for  popery  in  1568.  Dodd  thinks  the  con-v 
verting  conference  between  the  brothers  was  more  likely 
to  have  been  held  between  this  Edmund  and  John,  than 
between  William  and  John.  Edmund  died  in  1630,  and 
was  buried  at  Wolvercote,  near.  Oxford,  where  he  had  an 
estate,  and  probably  lived  in  privacy.  ^ 

RALEGH  (Sir  Walter),  or  Raleigh,  or  Rawixoh, 
an  illustrious  Englishman,  was  the  fourth  son,  and  the 
second  by  a  third  wife,  of  Walter  Ralegb,  esq.  of  Fardel, 
near  Plymouth.  His  father  was  of  an  ancient  kni^tly 
family,  and  his  mother  was  Catharin)e,  daughter  of  sir  Philip 
Champernoun,  of  Modbury  in  Devonshire,  relict  of  Otho 
Gilbert,  of  Compton,  the  father,  by  her,  of  sir  Humphrey 

*  Ath.  Ox.  vol.  I.— G0D.  Dict,-->Faller's  Abel  KediTiTQi.^Wood'i  Annalt.** 
Prinze's  Woftliies  of  Devon. 


RALEGH.  BQJL 

-Cilhertf  the  pelebrated  navigator,  Mr.  Ilal^gfa>  upoil  bk 
marriage  with  this  lady,  had  retired  to  a  farm  called  HayefiS 
in  the  parish  of  Budiey,  where  sir  Walter  was  born  ia 
1552.  After  a  proper  education  at  school,  be  was  sent  to 
Oriel  college,  Oxford,  about  1568,  where  he  soon  distin- 
guished himself  by  great  force  of  natural  parts,  and  an 
uncommon  progress  in  academical  learning ;  but  Wood  is 
certainly  mistaken  in  saying  he  stayed  here  three  years ; 
for  in  1569,  when  only  seventeen,  he  formed  one  of  the 
select  troop  of  an  hundred  gentlemen,  whom  queen  Eli- 
zabeth permitted  Henry  Cbampernoiin  to  transport  to 
France,  to  assist  the  persecuted  Protestants.  Sir  Walter 
appears  to  have  been  engaged  for  some  years  in  military 
affairs,  of  which,  however^  we  do  not  know  the^  particulars!. 
In  1575  or  1576,  he  was  in  London,  exercising  his  poet«- 
ical  talents ;  for  there  is  a  commendatory  poem  by  him 
prefixed,  among  others,  to  a  satire  called  '^  The  Steel 
Glass,''  published  by  George  Gascoigne,  a  poet  of  that 
age.  This  is  dated  from  the  Middle  Temple,  at  which  he 
then  resided,  but  with  no  view  of  studying  the  law ;  for  he 
declared  expressly,  at  his  trial,  that  be  had  never  studied 
it.  On  the  contrary,  his  mind,  was  still  bent  on  military 
glory;  and  accordingly,  in  1578,  he  went  to  the  Nether<« 
lands,  with  the  forces  which  were  seiit  against  the  Spa- 
niards, commanded  by  sir  John  Norris,  and  it  is  supposed 
be  was  at  the  battle  of  Rimenant,  fought  o^  Aug.  !•  The 
following  year^  1579,  when  sir  Hum|>hrey  Gilbert,  who  was 
bis  brother  by  bis  mother's  side,  had  obtained  a  patent  of 
the  queen  to  plant  and  inhabit  some  Northern  parts  of 
America,  he  engaged  in  that  adventure ;  but  returned  soon 
after,  the  attempt  proving  unsuccessful.  In  1580,  the 
.pope  having  incited  the  Irish  to  rebellion,  he  had  a 
captain's  commission  under 'the  lord  deputy  of  Ireland^ 
Arthur  Grey,  lord  Grey  de  Wilton.  Here  he  distinguished 
himself  by  his  ^kill  aird  bravery.  In  1581,  the  earl  of 
Ormond  departing  for  England,  bis  government  of  Mnn- 
ster  was  given  to  captain  Ralegh,  in  commission  with 
sir  WiiUam  Morgan ;  and  captain  Piers  Ralegh  resided 
chiefly  at  Lismore,  and  spent  all  this  summer  in  the 
woods  and  country  adjacent,  in  continual  action  with  the 
rebels.  At  hb  return  home,  he  was  introduced  to  courts 
and,  as  Fuller  relates,  upon  the  following  occasion.  Her 
majesty,  taking  the  air  in  a  walk,  stopped  at  a  spkshj 
place^  in  doubt  whether  to  go  on :  when  Ralegh|  dressed 


JOd  R  A  L  £  G  H. 

in  a  gay  and  genteel  habit  of  those  times,  immediatelj 
cast  off  and  spread  his  new  plush  cloak  on  the  ground; 
on  which  her  majesty  gently  treading,  was.  conducted 
over  clean  and  dry.  The  truth  is,  Ralegh  always  made 
-a  very  elegant  appearance,  as  well  in  the  splendor  of 
attire,  as  the  politeness  of  address;  having  a  command* 
ing  figure,  and  a  handsome  and  welUcompacted  person  ;  a 
strong  natural  wit,  and  a  better  judgment ;  and  that  kind  of 
courtly  address  which  pleased  Elizabeth,  and  led  to.herfa^ 
TOur.  Such  encouragement,  however,  did  not  reconcile  him 
to  an  indolent  life.  In  1583  he  set  out  with  his  brother  sir  H« 
Gilbert,  in  his  expedition  to  Newfoundland;  but  within 
a  few  days  was  obliged  to  return  to  Plymouth,  his  ship'a 
4iompany  being  seized  with  an  infectious  distemper ;  and 
sir  H.  Gilbert  was  drowned  in  coming  home,  after  he  had 
taken  possession  of  that  country.  These  expeditions,  how«- 
ever,  being  much  to  Ralegh's  taste,  he  still  felt  no  discou-< 
ragement;  but  in  1584  obtaining  letters  patent  for  dis« 
covering  unknown  countries,  he  set  sail  to  America,  and 
took. possession  of  a  place,  to  which  queen  Elizabeth  gave 
the  name  of  Virginia. 

Upon  his  return,  he',  was  elected  member  of  parliament 
for  Devonshire,  and  soon  after  knighted  ;  an  honour  (says 
his  late  biographer),  which,  from  the  sparing  hand  of  that 
inonarch,  was  considered  as  high  distinction.  About  this 
period,  also,  he  was  favoured  by  a  licence  to  sell  wines 
throughout  the  kingdom.  In  1585,  he  appears  several 
ways  engaged  in  the  laudable  improvements  of  navigation ; 
for,  he  was  one  of  the  colleagues  of  the  fellowship  for  the 
discovery  of  the  North-west  passage.  The  same  year,  he 
sent  .his  own  fleet  upon  a  second  voyage  to  Virginia, . and 
afterwards  upon  a  third.  It  was  this  colony  of  Virginia 
which  first  brought  tobacco  to  England  ;  and  sir  Walter 
Ralegh,  who  first  introduced  it  into  use.  Queen  Elizabeth 
had  no  objecjtion  to  it,  as  a  valuable  article  of  commerce ; 
but  her  successor,  James  I.  held  it  in. such  abhorrence,  as 
•to  use  bis  utmost  endeavours  to. explode  the  use^of  it 
About,  the  same  time  sir  Walter,  was  made  seneschal  of 
Cornwall  and  lord  warden  of  the  Stannaries.  L  * 

On  the  suppression  of  the  rebellion  in  Munster,  when 
the  forfeited  lands  were  divided  in.signbries,  among,  those 
who  had  been  active  in  its  reduction,  be  obtained,  a  grant 
of  12,000  acres  in.  tfa^  counties  of  C^rk  and  Waterford;. 
yrhif^bheplaqtedatbisQwn  eKp^nce;  ^nd^  at  the  jsud  ioif 


RALEGH,  W 

this  reign,  sold  to  Richard  Boyle,  afterwards  the  great 
earl  of  Cork,  who  owned  this  purchase  to  have  been  the 
fimt  step  to  his  future  vast  fortune. 

' '  Sir  Walter  was  now  becbnie  such  a  favourite  with  the 
queen,  that  they  who  had  at  first  been  his  friends  at  court, 
began  to  foe  alarmed,  and  to  intrigue  against  him,  parti^ 
cutarly  the  earl  of  Leicester,  his  former  patron,  who  is  said 
to  have  grown  jealous  of  his  influence  with  her  majesty, 
and  to  have  set  up,  in  opposition  to  him,  Robert  Devereux, 
the  yoting  earl  of  Esse^.  To  this  he  appears  to  have  paid 
little  attention,  but  constantly  attended  his  public  charge 
and  employments,  whether  in  town  or  country,  as  9ccasioa' 
Inquired.  He  wa^,  in  1586,  a  member  of  that  parliament 
which  decided  the  fate  of  Mary  queen  of  Scots,  in  which 
he  probably  concurred.  But  still  speculating 'on  the  con-r 
sequences  of  the  discovery  of  Virginia,  be  sent  three  ships 
upon  a  fourth  ^voyage -thither,  in  l587r  In  1588  he  sent 
another  fleet,  upon  a  fifth  voyage,  to  Virginia ;  and  the 
same  year  took  a  brave  part  in  the  destruction  of  the  Spa- 
nish armada,  sent  to  invade  England.  About  this  time  he 
made  an  assignment  to  divers  gentlemen  and  merchants  of 
London,  of  all  his  fights  in  the  colony  of  Virginia.  This 
assignment  is  dated  March  7,  1588-9. 

In  April  1589,  he  accompanied  don  Antonio,  the  ex- 
pelled king  of  Portugal,  then  in  London,  to  his  dominions, 
when  an  armament  was  sent  to  restore  him;  and  for  his' 
conduct  on  this  occasion,  was  honoured  by  the  qtkeen  with 
a  gold  chain.  On  his  return  to  England,  the  same  year,  he 
touched  upon  Ireland,  where  he  visited  Spenser  the  poet, 
whom  he  brought  to  England,  introduced  into  the  queen's 
favour,  and  encouraged  by  his  own  patronage,  himself  being 
no  inconsiderable  poet.  Spenser  has  described  the  circum- 
stances of  sir  Walter^s  visit  to  him  in  a  pastoral,  which 
abont  two  years  after  he  dedicated  to  him,  and  entitled  *^  Col- 
lin Clout's  come  home  again."  In  1592  he  was  appointed 
general  of  an  expedition  against  the  Spaniards  at  Panama. 
Soon  after  this  we  find  him  again  in  the  House  of  Commons^ 
where  he  made  a  distinguished  figure,  as  appears  from 
several  of  his  printed  speeches.  In  the  mean  time,  he  was 
no  great  favourite  with  the  people,  and  somewhat  obnoxious 
to  the  clergy,  not  only  on  account  of  his  principles,  which 
were  not  thought  very  orthodox,  but  because  he  pos- 
sessed some:  lands  which  had  been  taken  from  the  churcfi. 
His  enemies,  knowing  thii^  ventured'to attack  him;  an^f 


m*  RALEGH; 

iix  1593,  he  was  aspfersed  with  nibeism,  is  a  libel  against 
several  minigters  of  Btate>  printed  at  Lyons  with  this  title : 
^^  Elizabeths  Reginee.  AngUae  Edictum,  promulgatum  Lon« 
dini,  Nov.  29^  1591;  et  Andr.  Pbilopatris  ad  idem  re* 
spoBsio«^'  In  this  piece  the  writer,  who  was  the  Jesuit 
Parson^,  ioveiffbs  against  sir  Walter  Ralegh's  ^'  School  of 
Atheism ;"  insinuating,  that  he  was  not  content  with  being 
a  disciple^  but  had  set  up  for  a  doctor  in  his  faculty, 
Osborn  accounts  for  this  aspersion  thus :  '^  Raiegh/'  says 
lie,  '^  was'the  first,  as  I  have  beard,  who  ventured  to  tack 
about,  and  sail  aloof  from  the  beaten  track  of  the  schools  ; 
and  who^  upon  the  discovery  of  so  apparent  an  error  as  a 
torrid  zone,  intended  to  proceed  in  an  inquisition  after 
ipore  solid  truths;  till  the  mediation  of  some,  who^e  live- 
Ubood  li^y  in  hammering  shrines  for  this  superaniitiated 
Si^dy*  possessed  queen  Elizabeth,  that  such  a  doctrine  was 
against  God  no  less^tban  her  father^s  honour,  whose  faith^  , 
if  be  owned  any,  was  grounded  upon  school-divinity.  Where- 
upon she  chid  him,  who  was,  by  his  own  confession,  ever 
^fter  branded  with  the  title  of  Atheist,  though  a  known 
^sserter  of  God  and  providence.^'  That  he  was  such  an 
asserter,  has  been  universally  allowed  ;  yet  Wood  not  only 
adopts  the  unfavourable  opinion  of  his  principles,  but  pre* 
tradsto  tell  us  from  whom  he  imbibed  them. 

About  the  same  time,  1593,  Ralegh  had  an  illicit  amour 
'  with  a  beautiful  young  lady,  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  sir 
}f  icolas  Throgmorton,  an  able  statesman  and  ambassador ; 
wbioh  so  offended  the  queen,  that  they  were  both  confined 
for  several  months ;  and,  when  set  at  liberty,  forbidden  the 
^QHHt.  Sir  Walter  afterwards  made  the  most  honourable 
jFeparation  be  could,  by  marrying  the  object  of  his  affec* 
tion ;  and  he  always  lived  with  her  in  the  strictest  conjugal 
harmony.  The  next  year  he  was  so  entirely  restored  to  the 
queen's  favour,  that  he  obtained  a  grant  from  her  majesty 
of  the  manor  of  Sherborne,  in  Dorsetshire,  which  bad  been 
alienated  from  the  see  of  Salisbury  by  bishop  daldwetl, 
and  was  doubtless  one  of  those  church-lands,  for  accepting 
vbich  he  was  censured,  as  mentioned  above.  During  his 
disgrace  be  projected  the  discovery  and  conquest  of  the 
large,  ricb^  and  beautiful  empire  of  Guiana,  in  Soudi 
America ;  and,  sending  first  an  old  experienced  officer  to 
collect  information  concerning  it,  he  went  thither  himself 
ill  1595,  destroyed  the  city  of 'San  Joseph,  and  took  the 
^anisb  governor*    Upon  his  return^  he  wrote  a  disoonrse 


>    R  A  L  E  G  H.  »0» 

of  his  discOTeries  in  Guiana,  whteh  WHS  printed  id  1596^ 
4to«  and  afterwards  inserted  in  the  third  volume  of  Hak« 
hiyt's  voyages,   in  Birch's  works  of  Kalegh,   and  in  Mr« 
Cayiey's  late  ^^  Life  of  Ralegh."     His  second  attempt  on 
Guiana  was  conducted  by  Lawrence  Keymis,  who  sailed  in 
Jan.  1596,  and  returned  in  June  following.     An  accoiinii 
of  this  also  is  to  be  found  in  Hakluyt.     The  same  year,' 
sir  Walter  had  a  chief  command  in  the  Cadiz  actioo,  under 
the  earl  of  Essex,  in  which  be  took  a  very  able  and  gallftiit 
part.     In  the  ^^  Island  Voyage,^'  in  1597,  which  was  aimed 
principally  at  the. Spanish  plate-fleets,  Ralegh  was  one  of 
the  principal  leaders ;   and  vvoiild  have  been  coiilple|ely 
successful,  had  he  not  been  thwarted  by  the  jealousy  and 
presumption  of  Essex.     This  unhappy  nobleman's  misfor-* 
tunes  were  now  coming  on;  and  Ralegh^  who  bad  long 
been  at  variaince  with  him,  contributed  to  hasten  his  fail^ 
particularly  by  a  most   disgraceful  and  vindictive  letter 
which  he  wrote  to  sir  Robert  Cecil,  to  prevent  his  showing 
any  lenity  to  Essex.     Sir  E.  Brydges,  who  has  lately  re** 
,  printed  this  letter,  in  his  elegant  memoir  of  sir  Walter 
Ralegh,  observes,    that  it  exhibits  ah  aWful  lesson;   for 
</ Ralegh,  in  this  dreadful  letter,  is  pressing  forward  for  a 
rival  that  snare  by  which  he  afterwards  perished  himsel£» 
He  urp;es  Cecil  to  get  rid  of  Essex !     By  that  riddance  he 
himself  became  no  longer  necessary  to  Cecil,  as  a  counter* 
poise  to  Essex's  power."    '^  Then,  I  have  oC^  doubt  it  was,'* 
adds  sir  Egerton,  ^^  that  Cecil,   become  an  adept  in  the 
abominable  lesson  of  this  letter,  and  conscious  of  his  minor 
talents,  but  more  persevering  cunning,  resolved  to  disen« 
cumber  himself  of  the  ascendant  abilities,  and  aspiring  and 
dangerous  ambition  of  Ralegh,"     But  whateixr  share  Rar 
legh  had  in  defeating  the  designs  of  Essex,  bis  san  aet 
91  queen  Elizabeth's  death,  which  happened  March  24, 
1602-3. 

.  Upon  the  accession  of  king  James,  be  lost  his  interest  at 
court;  was  stripped  of  his  preferments,-and  even  acoosedy 
tried,  and  condemned  for  high  treason.  Various  causes  have 
been  assigned  for  this  strange  reverse  of  fortune.  In  the 
first  place,  it  has  been  observed,  that  the  earl  of  Essex,  in 
his  life-time,  had  prejudiced  king  James  against  bun ;  and, 
after  the  earl's  death,  there  were  circumstances  implying, 
that  secretary  Cecil  had  likewise  been  his  secret  enemy. 
For,  though  Cecil  and  Ralegh  joined  against  Essex,  yet, 
mhct^  he  was  oveitthrQwn^  tbe;^  divided ;  and  when  king 


506  RALEGH. 

James  oame  to  England,  sir  Walter  presented  to  bim  a- 
memorial;  in  which  he  reflected  upon  Cecil  in  the  affair  of 
Essex ;  and,  vindicating  himself,  threw  the  whole  blame 
upon  the^other.  He  farther  laid  open,  at  the  end  6!  it, 
the  conduct  of  Cecil  concerning  Mary  queen  of  Scots,  his 
majesty's  mother ;  and  charged  the  death  of  that  unfortunate- 
princess  on  him ;  which,  however,  only  irritated  Cecil  the 
more  againstRalegh,  witboutproducingany  eflect on  the  king. 
But,  what  seems  alone  sufficient  to  have  incensed  the  king 
againstRalegh  was,  his  joining  with  that  party  of  English- 
man,  who,  jealous  of  the  concourse  of  Scotchmen  who  came 
to  court,  wished  to  restrict  his  majesty  in  the  employment 
of  these  bis  countrymen.  We  are  told,'  however,  that  the 
king  received  him  for  some  time  with  great  kindness ;  but 
this  time  must  have  been  short,  for  on  July  6,  1603,  he  was 
examined  before  the  lords  of  the  council  at  Westminster, 
and  returned  thence  a  private  prisoner  to  bis  own  house. 
He  was  indicted  at  Staines,  September  21,  and  not  long 
after  committed  to  the  Tower  of  London  ;  whence  he  was 
carried  to  Winchester,  tried  there  November  17,  and  con« 
demned  to  die.  That  there  was  something  of  a  treasonable 
conspiracy,  called  ^^  Ralegh's  plot,''  against  the  king  was 
generally  believed  ;  yet  it  never  was  proved  that  he  was 
engaged  in  it :  and  perhaps  the  best  means  to  prove  his 
innocence  may  be  found  in  the  very  trial  upon  which  he 
was  condemned  ;  in  which  the  barbarous  partiality  and  foul 
language  of  the  attorney-general  Coke  broke  out  so  glar-' 
ingly,  that  he  was  exposed  for  it,  even  upon  the  public 
theatre.  After  this,  Ralegh  was  kept  near  a  month  at  Win-^ 
Chester,  in  daily  expectation  of  death;  and  that  he  ex- 
p^ted  nothing  less,  is  plain  from  an  excellent  letter  he 
wrote  to  his  wife,  which  is  printed  among  his  Works. 

He  was  however  reprieved,  and  committed  prisoner  to 
the  Tower  of  London,  where  he  lay  many  years,  his  lady 
living  with  him,  and  bringing  him  a  second  son,  named 
Carew,  within  the  year.  His  estate  was  at  first  restored  to 
him,  but  taken  again,  and  given  to  the  king's  minion  Ro- 
bert Carr,  afterwards  earl  of  Somerset.  Ralegh  found  a 
great  friend  in  Henry,  the  king's  eldest  son,  who  laboured 
^o  procure  him  his  estate,  and  had  nearly  effected  it ;  but, 
that  hopeful  and  discerning  prince  dying  in  1612,  all  his 
views  were  at  an  end.  The  prince  is  reported  to  have  said, 
that  <^  no  king  bgt  his  father  would  keep  such  a  bird  in  a 
ea|;e."    During  bis  confinement,  he  devoted  the  greatest 


RALEGH.  507 

part  of  his  time  to  reading  and  writings  and  indeed  tne  pro* 
ductious  of  his  pen  at  this  time  are  as  many,  as  if  original 
writing  and  compilation  had  been  the  whole  pursuit  of  his 
life.  His  writings  have  been  divided  into  poetical,  episto* 
lary,  military,  maritimal,  geographical,  political,  philoso* 
phical,  and  historical.  But,  however  excellent  these  mis- 
cellanies are  allowed  by  others  to  be  written,  he  considered 
them  as  trivial  amusements  compared  to  his  grand  work  '^The 
History  of  the  World;"  the  first  volume  of  which  was  pub- 
lished in  1614,  folio,  and  extends  to  the  end.  of  the  Mace- 
donian empire.  As  to  a  report  respecting  the  second  vo- 
lume of  this  history,  which,  it  is  said,  he  burned  because 
the  first  had  sold  so  slowly  that  it  had  ruined  his  bookseller, 
it  is  scarcely  worth  notice  ;  for  it  appears  that  there  was  a 
second  edition  of  it  printed  by  the  same  bookseller,  within 
three  years  after  the  first.  According  to  his  own  evidence, 
he  had  certainly. planned  a  second  and  third  volume;,  but 
was.  persuaded  to  lay  them  aside  by  the  death  of  prince 
Henry,  to  whose  use  they  were  dedicated,  and  the  course 
of  his  life  afterwards  left  no  room  for  a  labour  of  this  mag- 
nitude. Of  the  '^  History'*  it  has  been  said,  that  the  de- 
sign was  equal  to  the  greatness  of  his  mind,  and  the  execu- 
tion to  the  strength  of  his  parts,  and  the  variety  of  his 
learning.  His  style  is  pure,  nervous  and  majestic;  and 
much  better  suited  to  the  dignity  of  history^  than  that  of 
lord  Bacon.  Ralegh  seems  to  have  written  for  posterity, 
Bacon  for  the  reign  of  James  I.  This  admirable  work  of 
Ralegh  has  been  thought  a  just  model  for  the  reformation 
of  our  language^  yet  is  now  little  read  or  consulted. 

Some  have  fancied,  that  the  merit  of  this  work  procured 
his  reieasement  from  the  Tower ;  but  there  seems  little 
foundation  for  that  opinion,  since  king  James  is  known  to 
have  expressed  some  dislike  to  it.  It  is  more  likely  that 
the>  king's  hopes  from  the  mine-^adventure  to  Guiana  pro- 
duced this  effect ;  and  accordingly  we  find  sir  Walter  at 
large,  after. twelve  years  confinement,  in  March  1616.  In 
August  he  received  a  commission  from  the  king  to  go  and 
explore  the  golden  mines  at  Guiana.  '  It  is  said  that  he 
was  offered  a  formal  pardon  for  700/.  but  this  he  declined, 
by  the  advice  of  sir^Francis  Bacon,  who  said,  ^^  Sir,  the 
knee-'timber  of  your  vbyage  is  money.  Spare  your 
purse  in  this  particular;  for.  upon  my  life  you  have  a 
^sufficient  pardon  for  all  that  is  past  already  :  the  king 
faavkig,  under  bis  broad  seaV  made  you  {idmiral  of  your 


508  B  A  L  £  G  B. 

fleet,  and  given  you  power  of  martial  law  over  your  oflicers 
and  soldiers.''  Sir  Walter  set  off  from  Plymouth  July 
1617  ;  but  bis  design,  being  by  some  secret  means  betrayed 
to  the  Spaniards,  wasdef^ted  :  and,  his  eldest  son  Walter 
being  killed  "by  the  Spaniards  at.St.^Thome,  the  town  was 
bujrnt  by  captain  Keymis,  who,  being  reproached .  by  Sir 
Walter  for  bi^  ill  conduct  in  this  affair,  committed  suicide^ 
Oathis,  the  Spanish  ambassador  Gundomar  making  heavy 
complaints  to  the  king,  as  if  the  peac^  bad  been  broken  be«- 
tween  Britain  and  Spain,  a  proclamation  was  published  im«- 
mediately  against  Ralegb  and  bis  proceedings,  threatening 
punishment  in  an  exemplai^y  manner.  Notwithstanding 
this,  Ralegh,  who  landed  at  Plymouth  in  July  16 IB,  and 
heard  that  the  court  was  exasperated  by  the  Spanish  am* 
bassador,  firmly  resolved,  to  go  to  London.  In  this,  how* 
ever,  he  was  anticipated  by  being  arrested  on  his  journey 
thither ;  and  finding,  as  he  approached,  that  no  ^oiogy 
could'  save  him,  repented  of  not  having  made  his  escape 
while  he  bad  it  in  his  power.  He  attempted  it  indeed  after 
he  was  confined  in  the  Tower,  but  was  seized  in  a  boat 
upon  the  Thames.  It  was  found,  however,  that  his  life 
could  not  be  touched  for  any  thing  which  had  been  done  at 
Guiana :  therefore  a  privy  seal  was  sent  to  the  judges, 
forthwith  to  order  execution,  in  consequence  of  his  formeir 
attainder. 

This  manner  of  proceeding  was  thought  extrajudicial 
at  first;  but  at  length  he  was  brought,  October  28,  to 
the  king's  bench  bar  at  Westminster,  and  there  asked, 
if  he  could  say  any  thing  why  execution  should  not  be 
awarded?  To  this  he  said,  that  ^^  he  hoped  the  judgment 
he  received  to  die  so  long  since  could  not  now  be  strained 
to  take  away  bis  life ;  since,  by  his  majesty's  commissioa 
for  his  late  voyage,  it  was  implied  tct  be  restored,  in  giving 
him  power  as  marshal  upon  the  life  and  death  of  others :" 
repeating  the  words  of  sir  Francis  Bacon.  Notwithstand* 
ir^  this,  sentence  of  death  was  passed  upon  him  ;  and  he 
was  beheaded  the  next  day,  Thursday  Oct*  29,  1618,  in 
Old  Palace-yard,  when  he  suffered  with  great  magnanimity^ 
To  some  who  deplored  his  misfortunes,  he  observed,  that 
<^  the  world  itself  is  but  a  larger  prison,  out  of  which  some 
are  daily  selected  for  execution.'^  When  brought  up  for 
sentence,  he  had  an  ague  fit,  to  which  he  now  alluded, 
when  on  the  scaffold,  informing  the  spectatorsj^  that  as  he 
was  the  day  before  t^k^n  out  ^of  his  bed  in  a  strong  fit  of  a 


*   / 


R  A  L  E  G  H.  doa 

» 

fev^r,  which  mach  weakened  bitriy  if  any  disability  bf  voice 
or  dejection  of  countenance  should  appear  in  hiin^  they 
would  impute  it  rather  to  the  disorder  of  his  body  than  any 
dismayedness  of  mind.  He  concludes  his  speech  with 
these  words :  ^*  And  now  I  intreat,  that  yoti  will  all  Join 
with  me.  in  prayer  to  the  great  God  of  Heaven,  whom 
I  have  grievously  offended,  being  a  man  full  of  all  vanity^ 
who  has  lived  a  sinful  life  in  such  callings  as  have  been 
most  inducing  to  it;  for  I  have  been  a  soldier,  a  sailor,  and 
a  oourtier,  which  are  courses  of  wickedness  and  vice :  that 
bis  Almighty  Goodness  will  forgive  me ;  that  he  will  cast 
away  my  sins  from  me,  and  that  he  will  receive  me  into 
everlasting  life.  So  I  take  my  leave  of  you  all,  making  mjr 
peace  with  God.** 

.  The  mode  of  his  execution  is  thus  related  :  "  Proclama* 
tion  being  made,  that  all  men  should  depart  the  scaffold^ 
be  prepared  himself  for  death,  giving  away  his  hat  and  cap 
and  money  to  some  attendants,  who  stood  near  him.  When 
be  took  leave  of  the  lords  and  other  gentlemen,  he  intreated 
the  lord  Arundel  to  desire  the  king,  that  no  scandalous 
writings  to  defame  him  might  be  published  after  his  death ; 
concluding,  'I  have  a  long  journey  to  go;  therefore  must 
take  leave.*  Then  having  put  off  his  gown  and  doublet,  he 
called  to  the  headsman  to  shew  him  the  axe ;  which  not 
being  suddenly  done,  he  said,  '  I  pr*ythee  let  me  see  it : 
dost  thou  think  that  I  am  afraid  of  it  V  Having  fingered 
the  etjlge  of  it  a  little,  he  returned  it,  and  said  smiling  to 
the  sheriff, '  This  is  a  sharp  medicine,  but  it  is  a  sound  curs 
for  all  diseases;*  and  having  intreated  the  company  to  pray 
to  God  to  assist  him  and  strengthen  him,  the  executioner 
keeeled  down  and  asked  him  forgiveness,  which  Ralegh; 
laying  his  hand  upon  his  shoulder,  granted.  Then  being 
asked,  which  way  be  would  lay  himself  on  the  block,  be 
answered,  ^  So  the  heart  be  right,  it  is  no  matter  which  way 
^be  head  lies.*  As  he  stooped  to  lay  himself  along,  and 
reclined  his  bead,  his  face  being  towards  the  east,  the  ex* 
ecutioner  spread  his  own  cloak  under  him.     After  a  little 

Eause,  he  gave  the  sign,  that  he  was  ready  for  the  stroke, 
y  lifting  up  his  band,  and  his  head  was  struck  off  at  two 
blows,  his  body  i^ever  shrinking  nor  moving.  His  head  wa$ 
shewed  on  each  side  of  the  scaffold,  and  then  being  put 
into  a  red  leather  bag,  with  his  velvet  night-gown  thrown 
over  it,  was  afterwards  conveyed  away  in  a  moaming  coack 
of  his  lady*s. 


SIO  R  A  L  E  O  H. 

'  His  body  was  interred  in  St  Margarets  Westifiinster  i 
but  bis  bead  was  preserved  by  bis  family  many  years.  The 
sacrificing  sucb  a  man  to  the  will  of  the  court  of  Spaiti,  a 
power  detestable  for  the  attempt  of  the  armada,  and  con-» 
temptible  by  its  defeat,  has  ever  since  been  mentioned, with 
general  indignation.  Burnet,  speaking  of  certain  errors 
in  James  I/s  reign,  proceeds  thus :  ^^  Besides  these  public 
actings,  king.  James  suffered  much  in  the  opinion  of  all 
people,  by  his  strange  way  of  using  one  of  the  greatest 
men  of  that  age,  sir  Waiter  Ralegh ;  against  whom  the 
proceedings  at  first  were  censured,  but  the  last  part  of  them 
was  thought  both  barbarous  and  illegal."  Arid  a  little  far» 
ther :  '^  the  first  condemnation  of  him  was  very  black  ;  but 
the  executing  him  after  so  many  years,  and  after  an  em- 
ployment that  had  been  given  him,  was  counted  a  barbarous 
sacrificing  him  to  the  Spaniards'." 

>  Sir  WaiterV  death  gave  such  disgust  to  the  people,  that 
the  king  published  a  declaration,  in  justification  of  the 
measure,  which  only  increased  the  odium  naturally  gene- 
rated by  such' highly  disgraceful  acts.  But  that  the  plea-* 
iure  of  Spain,  and  that  only,  was  the  cause,  was  confessed 
'  by  one  of  the  ministers,  who  wrote  to  Cottingbam,  our 
agent  then  in  Spain,  desiring  him  to  represent  to  that 
court,  <^  in  how  many  actions  of  late,  his  >najesty  had 
etrained  upoii  the  affections  of  his  people,  and  especially 
in  this  last  concerning  sir  Walter  Ralegh,"  whose  character 
Cottingbam  was  likewise  desired  to  magnify,  that  Spain 
might  see  at  what  price  James  was  willing  to  purchase  her 
favour. 

Sir  Walter  was  tall,  to  the  height  of  six  feet,  well 
shaped,  and  not  too  slender ;  his  hair  of  a  dark  colour,  and 
full ;  and  the  features  and  form  of  his^  face  such  as  they 
appear  before  the  last  edition  of  his  History  in  1736.  His 
taste  in  dress,  both  civil  and  military,  was  magnificent  Of 
the  latter  sort,  his  armour  was  so  rare,  that  we  are  told 
part  of  it  was  for  its  curiosity  preserved  in  tbe  Tower :  and 
fais  civil  wardrobe  was  richer,  his  clothes  being  adorned 
with  jewels  of  great  value.  The  truth  is,  the  richness  of 
his  apparel  was  made  matter  of  reproach  to  him ;  but, 
though  he  was  undoubtedly  pleased  with  the  distinction^ 
he  was  far  from  making  it  the  end  of  his  amlbition  :  for, 
how  much  he  excelled  in  arms  abroad,  counsel  at  bottey 
and  letters  in  general,  history  and  bis  own  writings  bav^ 


RALEGH.  511 

■ 

ttiade  sufficiently  .notorious.  One  great  blot  on  bis  charac-^ 
ter  we  have  already  noticed.  He  was  naturally  ambitious, 
and  he  was  bred  in  a  school  where  scruples  as  to  the  means 
of  gratification  were  not  yet  taught. 

.  His  works  may  be  divided  into  classes,  according  to 
Oldys^s  arrangement,  1.  ^^  Poetical :  including  bis  poems 
on  Gascoigne's  Steel-Glass ;  The  Excuse ;  The  silent  Lo- 
Ter ;  the  Answer  to  Marloe's  Pastoral ;  with  his  poems  of 
Cynthia,  and  two  more  on  Spenser's  Fairy-Queen ;  The 
Lover's  Maze  ;  a  Farewel  to  Court ;  The  Advice ;  which 
last  three  t^re  printed  in  an  old  ^^  Collection  of  several  in^ 
genious  Poems  and  Songs  by  the  wits  of  the  age,''  1660, 
in  8vo^  another  little  poem,  printed  in  the  London  Maga- 
zine for  August  1734 ;  several  in  the  Ashmoiean  library  at 
Oxford,  namely,  '^  Erroris  Responsio,^^  and  bis  **  Ansiver 
to  the  Lie,"  &c. ;  three  pieces  written  just  before  bis  death, 
viz.  his  Pilgrim;  his  <<  Epigram  in  allusion  to  the  Snuff  of 
a  Candle,"  and  his  Epitaph,  printed  in  his  <^  Remains.'* 
There  is-  likiewise  ascribed  to  him  a  satirical  Elegy  upon 
the  death  of  the  lord  treasurer  Cecil,  earl  of  Salisbury, 
printed  by  Osborne  in  his  Memoirs  of  king  James,  and 
said  to  be  our  author's  by  Shirley  in  his  Life  of  •  Ralegh, 
p.  179.  Of  his  poems,  a  beautiful  and  correct,  but  limited 
edition,  has  lately  been  published  by  sir  E.  Brydges,  with 
a  memoir  of  his  life,  written  with  the  taste  and  feeling 
which  distinguish  all  the  productions  of  that  gentleman^s 
pen.  2.  Epistolary :  viz.  Letters,  eight-and-twenty  of  which 
Mr.  Oldys  tells  us  he  has  seen  in  print  and  manuscript.' 
3.  Military :  these  discourses  relate  either  to  the  defence 
t>{  England  in  particular,  or  contain  general  arguments' 
and  examples  of  the  causes  of  war  among  mankind.  On 
the  former- subject  he  seems  to  have  drawn  up  several  re- 
monstrances, which  have  but  sparingly  and  slowly  come 
to  light.  ^  However,  as  he  had  a  principal  band  in  the  de* 
terminations  of  the  council  of  war  for  arming  the  nation 
when  it  was  under  immediate  apprehensions  of  the  Spanish 
invasion,  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  he  was  the  author 
of  a  treatise  concerning  '^  Notes  of .  Direction"  for  such 
*^  Defence  of  the .  Kingdom,"  written  three  years  before 
that  invasion.  .  To  this  treatise  was  also  joined  a  "  Direc- 
tion for  the  best  and  most  orderly  retreat  of  an  army, 
whether  in  campaign  or  straits."  And  these  were  then 
presented  in  manuscript  to  the  privy-council.  One  advice 
IS,  that  since  frontier  forces  are  unlikely  to  prevent  aa 


iia  RALE  G  h; 

enemy  frbin  landing,  if  they  should  land  throiigh  the  de*'' 
ficiency  or  absence  of  oar  shipping  (for  this  i&  the  force 
which  Ralegh  was  ever  for  having  first  osed  against  such 
foreign  invasions)  it  were  better  by  driving  or  clearing  the 
country  of  provisions,  and  temporizing,  to  endeavour  at 
growing  stronger,  and  rendering  the  enemy  weaker,  thanf 
to  hazard  all  by  a  confused  and  disorderly  descent  of  the 
populace  to  oppose  the  first  landing,  as  their  cuitom  was 
formerly.  But  this  was  one  of  the  chief  points,  which  a 
little  before  the  approach  of  the  Spanish  armada  was  op-^ 
posed  by  Thomas  Digges,  esq.  muster- master-general  of 
the  queen's  forces  in  the  Low  Countries,  in  a  ^*  Discourse 
of  the  best  order  for  repulsing  a  foreign  Force,'*  &c.  Virbich 
be  then  published.  This  ocoasioned  an  Answer,  which 
having  been  found  in  an  old  manuscript  copy  among  others 
pf  sir  Walter  Ralegh^s  discourses,  and  several  circum- 
utaqces  agreeing  with  the  orders  in  the  council  of  war,  asr 
well  as  some  passages  in  his  **  History  of  the  World,^'  and 
bis  other  writings,  it  was  published  by  Nathaniel  Booth,  of 
Gray's  Inn,  esq.  at  London,  1734,  in  8vo,  under  this  titled 
**  A  Military  Discourse,  whether  it  be  bett<er  for  England 
to  give  an  invader  present  battle,  or  to  temporize  and 
defer  the  same,"  &c.  But  Ralegh's  opinion  upon  thisr 
subject  is  more  fully  given  in  his  Discourses  of  the  original 
and  fundamental  cause  of  natural  and  necessary,  arbitrary 
and  customary,  holy  and  civil  wars ;  which,  though  pub- 
lished several  years  after  his  death,  have  sufficient  marks 
of  authenticity.  4.  Maritimal :  viz.  his  *^  Discourse  of  the 
invention- of' shipping,"  &c.  printed  among  bis  esstiys  in 
1650,  in  8vo;  bis  *^  Observations  and  Notes  concerning 
tlie  Royal  Navy  and  Sea-service,"  dedicated  to  prince 
Henry,  printed  likewise  among  his  essays ;  his  Letter  to 
that  prince  concerning  the  model  of  a  ship,  printed  among 
bis  Remains;  bis  >^  Report  of  the  truth  of  the  Fight  about 
the  isles  of  Azores,"  pr'mted  in  1591,  in  4to,  and  leprinted 
by  Hakluy  t,  vol.  IT. ;  his^Relatioti  of  the  Action  at  Cadiz, 
already  mentioned ;  and  his  ^  Memorial  touching  Dover 
Port,"  printed  in  a  pamphlet^  entitled  <<  An  Essay  on 
ways  and  means  to  maintain  the  Honour  and  Safety  of 
England^"  published  by  sir  Henry  Sheers  in  170 i,  in  4to. 
Sir  Walter,  in  the  introduction  to  bis  ^*  Observations  and 
Notes  concerning  the  RoyaL  Navy  and  Sea^-service,**  men- 
tions a  *^  Discourse  of  a  maritimal  voyage,  with  the  pas- 
sages and  incidenu  therein/'  which  be  had  fproierly  writ-* 


R}A  L  £  G  H;  sis 

tep.  to  prmc^e  Hbdry j .  and  /in  his  ^^^History  of  the  Woirld^ 
t)e  takes,  npt ice. of  another; treatise^  written  to  the  same 
prioc^y  ",Qf  the  art  pf  War  by  Sea;*'  "  a^suhject  to  my*; 
kf^owJedge^V  says  he»  ^*  oever  bandied  by  any  man,  ancient 
or.  i^pderq;  but  God  bas;  spared  me  the  labour  of  finishing. 
it>  by  the  loss  (rf  that  brave  prince ;  of  wbich^  like  aa> 
eqlipse.of  the  suPy.  we  shall  iiod,  the  effects  hereafter**'  5;; 
Gepgri^pbical ;  viz,  several  discourses  and.  papers  of  his 
qoocerning  the  discovery,  planting,  and  settlement  of  Vir* 
giniay  which  were  formerly  in  the  bands  of  sir  Francis  Wal-r 
sipgha^.i  f^  A  treatise, of  the  West  Indies;"  f^  Considera-^i 
tions  on  the  Voyage  for  Guiana,''  a  manuscript.containingi 
..* .  leaves  in  4to,  in  the  library  of  sir  Hans  Sloane,  hart.,  and; 
now  in  the  British  Museum.;  **  Discovery  of  the  large,  rich, 
a^d  beautiful  empire  of  Guiana,!'  published  by  himself,- 
and  m^ptioned  above.  His  '^  journal  of  bis  second  Voy^' 
age  to  Guiana,''  which  remains  still  in  manuscript;  and  his. 
*f  Apology",  for  the  said  voyage.  6.  Politick  :  viz.  *^  The 
Seat  of  Government,"  shewing  it  to  be  upheld  by  the  two 
great  pillars  of  civil  justice  and  martial  policy  ;  ^^  Obser- 
ligations  concerning  the  causes  of  the  magoificency  and 
ppulency ;"  "  The  Prince;  or  Maxims  of  State,"  printed  at 
London^ :  1 64{2,  in  4to,  Wood  says  that  it  is  the  same  with 
^f  Aphorisnos  of  State,",  published  by  John  Milton  at  Lon- 
don, in.  1661,  in  8vo. . -^^  The  Cabinet-Council,  contain- 
ing the.  chief  arts  of  Empire,  and  mysteries  of  State  dis<« 
cabipeted,"  &c.  published  by  John  Milton,  esq.  London,* 
1^658,  8vo.  In  the  second  edition  at  London,  1 692,  Svo,  it  ia 
entitled  "  The  Arts. of  £mpire  and  mysteries  of  State  dis-. 
c;^bineted,''  &c^  *' The  Spaniard's  Cruelties  to  the  Eng- 
lish,in  Havanoi^;"  bis  \*  Consultation  about  the  Peace  with 
j^paiu ;"  and, our  protecting  the  Netherlands,  in  manuscript. 
'^  Th^  pi-e^ent  state  of  Spain,  with  a  most  accurate  account 
of  bis  c&tholi6  majesty's  power  and  rights;  also  the  names* 
and  wonh  of  the  most  considerable  persons  in  that  king- 
dom," in  manuscript ;  which  seems  to  be  a  different  piece 
from  *^  The  present  state  of  Things,  as  they  now  stand 
between  the  three  kingdoms,  France,  England,  and  Spain," 
also  in  manuscript;  ^*  A  Discourse  on*  the  Match  pro* 
pounded  by  the  Savoyan  between  the.  lady  Elizabeth  and 
the  prince  of  Piedmont,"  and  another.on  that  '*  between^ 
prince  Henry  of  England  and  a  daughter  of  Savoy,"  both, 
in  manuscript ;  \^  A  Dialogue  between  a  Jesuit  and  a  Re- 
cusant ^  shewing  how  dangerous  their  principles  are  to' 
Vol.  XJCV,  L  l 


IM  R'Av^UXlG/^HJ 


PriMai^''  FkblMMd  ^  PhiliprlUlcglK,  «M^  aiMigf 
out  •utbor's  genoNier  RoBoraiMy  at  the  (Uidaf  m  Abndgttlebt^ 
of  bit  HkuwjFoC  Che  Worlds  LondoiH  1<100^  in  S^o^  ^^  A 
iKalogae  hmtwemn  a  counwillor  of  i^aDe  and  a  jmtice  ^ 
peace,*'  better  kaowaio  the  pmted  cepm  by  tiii  tide  of 
die  ^  Prerogatrive  of  Parliamento/*  dedtcatedtolciii^  JMiei^^ 
and  prttitad  at  Midelbovge,  162iS,  in  4^y  and  r^priotedl  U^ 
164^  in  4te ;  A  <«  Discoarae  of  the  word*  Law  atid  Rtgbt^*^ 
in:  Mianaseript  in  the  AsbmokeanKb^arr ;  ^*  Obeertationa^ 
toaohtag  Trade  aad  CooMDeroe  witb  die*  Hollttifder  mid  aftbw 
aatMMy  aa  it  waa  presented  to  king  Jani^i;  wher^  i^ 
juoucif  that  oar  sea  and  laod  comoioditie«  serve  to^ifrielfc* 
and  strengtbeo other  countries  agaifast  our  own:**  printed  In* 
I6ia^  in  tSaaa  Bat  it  ia  doubtfoi  whether  tbis^  trae«  vM- 
writiaa  by  onr  amber*  7.  Pbilosopbieal :  viz.  **  A  treari^ 
of  the '  Seal  ;'*  in  naaascript  tw  the  Asbmolean  Kbrary;* 
His  ^^  Sceptic/'  or  Specolations ;  printed-  among  his  Re^ 
maias. '  ^^  lastrucdens  to  bis  Son  and  Posterity,*'  1632,  in' 
kSimo;  and  to  this  is  subjoined  '^The  dutiful  Advice  of  a 
loving  Son  to  bis  aged  Father :"  a  treatise  of*  ^  Mines,  and 
the  trial  of  Minetals  ;'*  and  a  ^  Collection  of  cfayooicM  and^ 
laedirinat  Receipts;'*  both  which  are  in  oianuscript.  8; 
Hntorical  t  viz.  hie  ^  History  of  the  World,*'  tbe  best  edi^ 
tion  of  which  18  that  by  Oldys,  173^6^  fol.  with  a  life.  Dh' 
Birch  published  a  eoHection  of  bis  *<  Miscelkneeus  Works," 
indttding  most  of  the  above,  1748;  in  tf  vols.  8vo.  Mf.' 
Cayley  has  lately  published  a  very  elaborate  life  of  shr 
Walter,  wbtch  inctades  every  iiiibrniation  as  yet  prooorsbl^/ 
leapecttng  this  very  extmordinafy  and  unfortunate  man'.'  '* 
-  His  son,  C^aaw,  ifncidentally  noticed  above,  •  was  bom^ 
in  the  Tower  of  London,  in  1 604,  and  was  educated  at' 
Wadfaam  eoliege,  Oxford.  After  spendiitg'  flveyea¥s  ist 
tbe  university  be  went  to  court ;  but  meeting  with  no  en-' 
oourageBieDt  there,  hie  friend,  tbe  earl  of  Pembroke,  ad^ 
vised  him  to  travel,  as  be  did  till  tbe  death  of  James,  wbid^ 
happened  about  a  year  after.  On  bis  return  be  petitioned' 
Parliament  to  restore  him  in  blood ;  but,  While  tbb  wUs 
under  consideration,  tbe  king  sent  for  him,  and  told  him* 
that  be  bad  proorised  to  sectare  the  manor  of  Sberbom  to 
the  lord  Digby,  it  having  been  given  by  king  James  to* 
that  nobleman  on  the  disgrace  of  Carr  earl  of  Somersist. 
Mr*  Ralegh,  there^re,  was  under  tbe  necessity  of  cooipfy- 
ing  with  the  royal  pleasure,  and  to  give  up  his  inheritance. 
On  tbis  anbam^Qn  an  act  was  passed  for  his  restoration^ 


R.ALEGK  513 

k-  pcMim  of  40cA  a  yetr  mUm  grantad  ^  kirn  aftw  thie 
death  of^  bu  motheiv  whi^bad  thac  iMin  paM  durityg  lilr  iti 
lie»  of  her  joiDtum*  About  a  yewt  after  this  be  aaarried 
fbe  widovr  of  sir  Aotbofiy  Ashley,  by  wbo«a  be  had  two 
aans  and  three  daughter^  and  soon  after  be  was  Made  etvt 
of  the  ^ntlemen  of  the  king's  privy  chamber.  In  l€49 
he  wrote  a  vindication  of  bis  father  against  some  mtsrepreu 
sentatiohft  which  Mr.  James  Howel  bad  made  relative  to 
the  mioe-affiiir  of  Guiana.  After  the  death  of  the  king  be 
again  applied  to  Paiiiament  for  a  restoration  of  bis  estate  i 
\iut  was  DOt  successful,  although  iie  published,  in  o«der^t4 
aolorce  the  necessity  of  his  claim,  **  A  brief  rebtion  of 
w  Walter  Ralegb*a  Troubles.''  In  1656  he  printed  hii 
*^  Qbaervations  on  Sandersott!s  History  of  king  James^^^ 
which  were  replied  to  by.  that  historian  widb  con«iderabkl 
asperity.  In  1659,  by  the  favour  of  Genend  McMik,  Mr/ 
Ralegh  waa  appoint^  governor  of  Jersey.  King  Charleil 
IL  would  have  conferred  some  mark  of  favour  upon  kia^ 
hut  he  declined  it.  His  son  Walter,  however,. received  thd 
bopour  pf  knighthood  from  that  tnonarck  Mr.  Ralegh 
died  in  1666,  and  was  buried  in  bis  father's  grave  at  St.* 
])4argaret's,  Westminater.  Anthony  Wood  says  that  he  badi 
seen  some  sonnets  of  his  compesitiDn,  and  certaia  iinge^ 
nious  discourses  in  MS. ' 

RALEGH  (Walteb),  an  eminent  Engli^^divine  in  thiy 
seventeenth  century,  was  second  son  of  sir  Carew  Ralegh" 
(elder  brother  of  the  celebrated  sir  Walter  Ralegh.)  His^ 
mother  was  relict  of  sir  John  Thy  one,  of  Longteate,  ii|> 
Wiltshire,  and  daughter  of  sir  William  Wroughton,  vice<^ 
adosiral  under  sir  John  Dudley  (afterwards  duke  of  Ndr* 
thumberUind)  its  the  expedition  againsithe  Scets  in  1544; 
He  was  bom  at  Dowuton,  in  Wiltshire,  in  1586,  and  edu*^' 
cated  in  Winchester-school,  whence  he  was  sent  to  Mag«- 
dal^i  college,  Oxford,  of  which  he  became  a  oommoner  ia^ 
Michaelmas  term,  1602.  In  Ju|ie  1605,  he  took  the  de^^ 
Igree  of  B.  A.  and  in  June  1608,  that  of  master;  and  beingi 
a  noted  disputant,  was  made  junior  of  the  public  act  the- 
same  year,  in  which  he  distinguished  himself  to  great  ad« 
vantage.  Aboat  that  time  he  entered  into  holy  orders,  and' 
became  chaplain  to  William  earl  of  Pembroke,  in  whose 
family  be  spent  about  two  years,  when  he  was  collated  by 
hia  lordahtp  to  the  rectory  of  Chedzoy,  near  Bridgewatef, 

1  life  by  Cajriey.— Biog.  Brk,— Life  by  Oldyt. 

LL  2 


i»16  ft  A  L  E  G.H* 

'  ia  Sontenetsbive,  in  the -latter  end  of  1650.  Beingr  settled 
'bere,  he  married  Mary,  the  daughter  of  sir  Richard  Gibbs, 
and  giater  of  Dr.  Charles  Gi^bs,  prebendary  of  Westmin- 
ster. He  was  afterwards  collated  to  a  minor,  prebend  in  the 
church  of  Wells,  aiid  to  the  rectory  of  Streat,  with  the 
chapel  of  Walton  in  Wiltshire.  About  the  time,  of  the 
death  of  his  patron,  the  earl  of  Pembroke,  which  happened 
in  1630,  he  became  chaplain  in  ordinary  to  king  Charles  I. 
and  by  that  title  was  created  D.  D.  in  1636.  January  the 
]3th,  1641,  be  was  admitted  dean  of  Wells  on  the  death  of 
Dr.,  George  Warburton.  During  the  rebellion  he  was  se- 
questered on  account  of  his  loyalty,  and  afterwards  treated 
with  the  utmost  barbarity.  '  It  being  his  month  to  wait  oh 
the  king  as  his  chaplain,  the  committee  of  Somersetshire 
raised  the  rabble,  and  commissioned  the  soldiers  to  plun- 
<ler  his  pafsonage-house  at  Chedzoy  }  and  in  bis  absence 
they  seized  upon  all  his  estate  spiritual  and  temporal, 
<jlrove  away  his  cattle  and  horses,  which  they  found  upon 
his  ground,  and  turned  his  family  out  of  doors.  His  lady 
was  forced  to  lie  two  nigbts  in  the  corn-fields,  it  being  a 
capital  crime  for  any  of  the  parishioners  to. afford  them 
lodging.  After  this  she  went  to  Downton,  in  Wiltshire,, 
the  seat  of  sir  Carew  Ralegh,  where  her  husband  met  her. 
The  king's  party  having  had  some  success  in  the  West,  Dr. 
Ralegh  had  an  opportunity  to  return  to  his  family,  and  re- 
settle at  Chedzoy ;  but  the  parliament  party  soon  gained 
the  ascendant  by  the  defeat  of  the  lord  Goring,  and  he  was 
obliged  to  take  refuge  at  Bridgewater,  then  garrisoned  by 
the  king.  Here  he  continued  till  that  town  was  surren- 
dered to  Fairfax  and  Cron)well,  when  he  was  taken  pri- 
soner^ and  after  much  severe  usage  set  upon  a  poor  horse; 
with  his  legs  tied  under  the  belly  of  it,  and  so  carried  to* 
his  house  at  Chedzoy,  which,  was  then  the  head>quartersof' 
Fairfax  and  Cromwell ;  and  being  extremely  .sick  through 
his  former  ill  treatment,  obtained  the  favaur  of  contini^ing 
prisoner  in  his  own  house.  But  as  soon  as  the.  generals 
marched,  Henry  Jeaoes,  who  was  solicitous  for  his  rectory, 
of  Chedzoy^  and  afterwards  succeeded  him  in  it,  entered 
violently  into  the  house,  took  the  doctor  out  of  his  bed, 
and  carried  him  away  prisoner  with  all. his  goods.  His 
wife  and  children  were  exposed  to  such  necessities,  that 
they  must  have  perished  af  colonel  Ash  had  not  propured, 
them  the  income  of  some  small  tenements,  which  the  doc- 
tor had  purchased  at  Chedzoy.    After  this  Dr.  Ralegh  vmi 


R  A  L  E  G  H.  $1} 

ient  prisoner  to  Ilchester, 'the  county-gaol;  thence  td 
Banwell-^house,  and  thence  to  the  house  belonging  to  the 
deanery  in  Wells,  which  was  turned  into  a  gaol ;.  and  herq, 
while  endeavouring  to  secrete  a  letter  which  he  had  written 
to  his  wife,  from  impertinent  curiosity,  he  was  stabbed  by 
David  Barrett,  a  shoe-maker  of  that  city,  who  was  his 
keeper,  and  died  of  the  wound  October  10,  1646,  and  Was 
interred  on  the  13th  of  the  same  month  before  the  d6an*9 
fttall,  in  the  choir  of  the  cathedral  of  Wells.  His  papers, 
after  his  death,  such  as  could  be  preserved,  continued  foif 
above  thirty  years  in  obscurity,  till  at  last  coming  into  the 
bands  of  Dr.  Simon  Patrick  (afterwards  bishop  of  Ely)  he 
published  them  at  London,  1679,  in  4to,  under  this  title: 
^^  RelliquijB  Raleghanae,  being  Discourses  and  Sermons  on 
several  subjects,  by  the  reverend  Dr.  Walter  Ralegh,  deaii 
of  Wells,  anJ  chaplain  in  ordinary  to  his  late  majesty  king 
Charles  the  First."  This  editor  tells  us,  that  "  besides  the 
quickness  of  his  wit  and  ready  elocution,  he  was. master  of 
a  very  strong  reason ;  which  won  him  the  familiarity'  and 
friendship  of  those  great  men  who  were  the  envy  of  the 
last  age,  and  the  wonder  of  this,  the  Iprd  Falkland,  Dr. 
Hammond,  and  Mr.  Chillihgworth ;  the  last  of  which  was 
wont  to  say  (and  no  man  was  a  better  judge  of^t  than  him- 
self) that  Dr.  Ralegh  was  the  best  disputant  that  ever  he 
met  withal:  and  indeed  there  is  a  very  great  acuteness 
eiasily  to  be  observed  in  his  writings,  which  would  have  ap« 
peared  more  if  he  had  not  been  led,  by  the  common  vice  of 
those  times,  to  imitate  too  far  a  very  eminent  man  (mean-' 
ing,  perhaps,  bishop  Andrews)  rather  than  follow  his  own. 
excellent  genius.''     He  is. said  to  have  been  a  believer  in  / 

the  millenium,  or  reign  of  Christ  on  earth  for  a  thousand 
ye^rs,  and  to  have  written  a  book  on  that  subject,  which  is 
lost.  In  1719  the  rev.  Lawrence  Howell  published  atLond. 
8vo,  ^^  Certain  Queries  proposed  by  Roman  catholics,  and 
ahswered  by  Dr.  Walter  Ralegh,"  &c.  which  appears  to 
be  authentic.  *  , 

RALPH  (James),  a  political  and  poetical  writer  of  con- 
8ld.erable  note,  is  said  to  have  been  descended  of  mean 
parentage,  and  was  born  probably  in  America.     There  at   . 
teast,  from  the  Memoirs  of  Benjamin  Franklin  we  learn 
tba^  he  became  acquainted  with  that  eminent  man,  who 

lAtb.  Ox.  vol.  II.— -Dr.  Patrick»g  "  Brief  Account"  prefixed  to  the  ••Rcli- 
^ili.j'^Wa(ker*8  Suffering 9  of  the-Clergy. 


*> 
i 


flS  RALPH. 


»t  I 


gtvas  n  favourable  account  of  bimy  at  being  ^*  tagcniioaa 
and  shrewdy  genteel  in  his^  addfess,  and  extremely  6lo« 
queaf  Franklin  appears  to  have  considered  him,  bow- 
ever,  as  a  man  who  might  be  imposed  on,  and  acknow- 
ledges ^  that  he  bad  a  hand  in  unsettling  his  principles.*' 
The  Brst  eftect  of  this  was  Balph's  leaving  a  wife  and 
children  in  Aoierica,  in  1725,  and  regardless  of  what  be- 
came of  them,  forming  another  female  connexion,  by  mar- 
riage, as  it  would  appear,  soon  after  he  arrived  with. Frank- 
Un  in  England.  He  is  also  said  to  have  assumed  Franklin's 
name  for  some  time,  until  a  quarrel  dissolved  their  friend- 
ship, such  as  it  was.  In  172S  he  published  his  "  Nighl^** 
and  in  1729,  ^^  Zeuma,  or  the  Love  of  Liberty, 
i  We  hear  no  more  of  him,  until  his  appearance  .  in  -  tbe 
f<  Dunciad,'' in  which  his  poem  of '<  Night"  is  alluded  to 
in  these  lines :, 

**  Silence,  ye  Wolves,  while  Ralph  to  Cynthia  howls, 
And  makes  Night  hideoii»«-^Answer  him,  ye  Owls.** 

Warburton  says  these  lines  were  inserted  after  the  first 
edition  of  the  Dunciad,  and  that  he  was  not  known  to 
Pope,  until  he  published  a swearing-pieee  called  ** Sawney,** 
very  abusive  of  Pope,  Swift,  and  Gay.  He  adds  that  ^^this 
low  writer  attended  his  own  works  with  panegyrics  in  the 
Journals;  and  once,  in  particular,  praised  himself  highly 
above  Mr.  Addison,  in  wretched  remarks  upon  that  author's 
account  of  English  poets,  printed  in  a  London  Jouraal, 
Sepc  1728.  He  was  wholly  illiterate,  and  knew  no  1mi- 
guage,  not  even  French.  Being  advised  to  read  the  rafes 
of  dramatic  poetry  before  he  began  a  play,  he  smiled  and 
Beplied,  *  Shakspeare  writ  without  rules.*  He  ended  at 
last  in  the  common  sink  of  all  such  writers,  a  politick  news- 
paper, to  which  he  was  recommended  by  bis  friend  AfwaH 
(see  Arnall),  and  received  a  small  pittance  for  pay ;  and 
being  detected  in  writing  on  both  sides  on  one  and  the 
same  day,  he  publicly  justified  tlie  morality  of  his  conduct.** 
Such  is  Warburton^s  account,  heightened  a  Kttle,  un«f 
qaestionably,  by  his  regard  for  Pope,  but,  except  where 
be  calls  him  illiterate,  not  much  beyond  the  truth ;  for 
Balph's  pen  was  completely  venal,  and  both  his  principles 
and  his  distresses  prevented  any  consideration  on  the  naeral 
part  of  his  conduct.  He  had  by  this  time  produced  on  the 
stage,  "  The  Fashionable  Lady,"  an  opera,  ''  The  Fall  of 
the  Earl  of  Essex,**  a  tragedy ;  aad  afterwards,  ^  The 
Lawyer*aFeasty**  a  £urce,  and  <<  The  Astrologer/'  m  comedy, 


*R  A  L  P  H,  <S19 

«  ♦ 

Ptuam  oi  which  had  imidr  sacoess.  He  was  a  writer,  in 
'1739,  in  the  ^'Unii^rsal  Spectator,-'  a  periodical  paper; 
iMit  from  hla  letters  to  Dr.  Birch,  in  the  British  Museum, 
it  appears  that  he  was  no  great  gainer  hj  any  of  his  per- 
formances. There  is* an  excellent  pamphlet,  however, 
attributed  to  him,  which  was  published  about  17SI,  a 
^  Review  of  the  Public  Buildings  of  London  ;^^  but  from 
the  style  and  subject,  we  should  suppose  his  name  bor- 
rowed. In  1735  he  commenced  a  managing  partner  with 
Fieldinat  in  the  Hay  market-theatre ;  but,  as  Davies  s^ys, 
^  be  had  no*  other  share  in  the  management  than  viewing 
lind  repining  at  his  partner's  success.'' 

At  length  he  became  an  attendant  on  the  ^*  lelrees  of 
great  o^en,"  and  loQkily  applied  himself  to  political  writ- 
ing, for  which  he  was  well  qualified.  When  the  duchess 
of  Marlborough,  about  1742,  published  memoirs  of  her 
life,  Ralph  was  employed  to  write  an  answer,  which  he 
called  "  The  other  side  of  the  question."  This,  says  Da- 
Ties,  was  written  with  so  much  art,  and  made  so  interest- 
ing^ by  the  author's  management,  that  it  sold  very  well. 
Hui  pamphlets  and  political  papers  at  length  appeared  of 
■e  much  importance,  that  towards  the  latter  end  of  the 
Walpole  administration,  it  was  thought  proper  to  buy  him 
off  with  an  income.  Whether  his  paper  called  <<  The  Re- 
membrancer," recommended  him  to  Doddington,  lord 
Meloombe,  or  was  written  in  consequence  of  his  acquaint* 
fmce  with  that  statesman,  does  not  appear ;  but  from  Dod-^ 
.^ngton's  eelebrated  ^*  Diary,"  we  learn  that  he  was  much 
in  .the  confidence  of  •  the  party  assembled  round  the  prince 
;  of  Wales,  and  was  not  only  constantly  employed  to  carry 
messages  and  propositions  to  the  leaders  of  the  party,  but 
was  frequently  consulted  as  to  the  subject  of  such  mes- 
sages. Nor  indeed  do  his  talents  as  a  politician  seem 
touch  inferior  to  those  who  employed  him.  He  had  like- 
wise before  this  acquired  considerable  fame  by  his  '*^  Use 
and  Abuse  of  Parliaments,"  1744,  2  vols.  8vo,  and  still 
more  by  his  <<  History  of  England,  during  the  reign  of  Wil- 
liam III'.;  with  an  introductory  review  of  the  reigns  of 
Charles  II.  and  James  II."  1744-^6,  S  vols,  folio,  written 
npon  principles  avowed  by  his  party.  This  was  >  always 
considered  as  an  useful  work.  Ralph  had  read  a  great 
deal,  and  was  very  conversant  -in  the  history  and  politics 
of  this  country.  He  applied  himself,  with  great  assiduity, 
io  the  atudj  of  idl. writings  upon  party  matters :  and  bad 


Sio  RALPH. 

collected  a  prodigious  nuntber  of  pamphlets  reUiing  to  th^ 
contests  of  whig  and  tory,  the  esseoce  of  which  h.e  incor- 
porated io  his  work  so  s^  to  make  it  a  fund  of  curious  in^ 
fifirmation  and  opinions^  of  which  more  regular  historians 
might  afterwards  avail  tbemselves.  .  Mr.  Fox,  in  his  late 
'*  Historical  Wort^,*'  pronounces  him  *^  an  historian  of  great 
acuteness,  as  well  as  diligence,  but  who  falls  somedmes 
into   the  ^ommon  error  of  judging  too  much  from  the 


event." 


Notwithstanding  his  importance  with  his  pfirty,  who,  we 
may  suppose,  provided  for  him  while  he  was  of  service  to 
them,  his  turn  tor  the  stage  had  not  left  him^  and  ht  waa 
continually  teazing  Garrick  (to  whom  he  had  been  intro- 
duced by  Doddington),  to  encourage  him  in  his  error. 
Garrick  saw  that  he  was  not  qualified  to  write  for  the  stage, 
and  was  candid  enough  to  tell  him  so.  Davies  also  say9 
that  Garrick  bad  so  much  friendship  for  him,  that  he  pre- 
vailed upon  the  minister,  Mr.  Pelham,  to  settle  a  pension 
upon  him.  The  editor  of  Doddington^s  "  Diary"  relates 
this  in  a  different  way.  After  some  remarks  on  Dodding- 
ton^s  selfish  motives,  be  adds,  *^  But  all  this  may  be  strictly 
honourable  within  the  verge  of  a  court ;  and  on  this  ac* 
count,  I  could  patiently  hear  his  lordship  recommend  Mr. 
Ralph  as  a  very  honest  man,  and  in  the  same  pages  inform 
us,  that  he  was  ready  to  be  hired  to  any  cause;  that  he 
actually  put  himself  to  auction  to  the  two  contending  par- 
ties (the  Bedford  and  Pelbams),  and  that,  after  several 
biddings,  the  honest  Mr.  Ralph  was  bought  by  the  P^eU 
ba,ms."  If,  however,  Garrick  was  in  any  way  the  means 
of  closing  this  bargain,  Ralph  soon  forgot  the  obligation, 
and  in  his  ''  Case  of  Authors  by  prqfession,^'  published  iu 
1758,  conveys  many  insinuations  against  Garrick,  as  a 
managjer.  Garriclc  was  so  irritated,  that  he  never  spoke  to 
him  afterwards,  nor  would  go  into  any  company  where 
there  was  a  chance  of  meeting  him. 

The  death  of  the  prince  of  Wales  was  a  severe  blow  to 
Ralph.  In  a  letter  to  Doddington  he  thus  states  his  situa* 
tion~r^*  My  brain,  such  as  it  is,  is  my  wtioie  estate.  I  lost 
half  a  year's  pension,  wheu  I  went  into  the  princess  ser* 
vice.  I  lost  another  lOQ/.  about  the  same  time  by  a  bank* 
rupt  bookseller.  His  royal  highness  died  in  my  debt  65L 
every  farthing  of  \\hich  I  bad  a  thousand  pressing  occasions 
for ;  it  is  almost  two  years  s\nce  that  event.  I  did  not  alter 
my  maaoer  of  living  except  in  a  few  particulars  thereon : 


R  A  L  P  IT.  5tl 

J.  because  I  was  put  in  hope  4bat  friends  would  have 
been  found  to  assist,  if  not  provide  for  me,  till  I  could 
again  be  useful ;  2d,  because  I  thought  it  for' their  credit, 
that  I  should  pot  appear,  a  ruined  man,  while  they  conti- 
nued to  l)onour  me  with  their  countenance  ;  and  3dly,  be- 
cause I  knew  I  should  be  provided  for  (if  ever  1  was  pro- 
vided for  at  all)  in  exact  conformity  to  the  figure  I  lived  in, 
which  I  cannot  yet  be  humble  enough  to  suppose  is  better 
than  I  have  pretensions  to,  unless  the  pretensions  of 
players,  fiddlers,  rope-dancers,  &c.  to  a  decent  manner  of 
living,  should  he  thought  better  than  mine,'*  &c. 

On  the  death  of  George  II.  Ralph,  according  to  Mr, 
Davies's  account,  attained  the  summit  of  his  wishes :  by 
the  interest  of  the  earl  of  Bute,  a  pension  of  600/.  per  an- 
num was  bestowed  upon  him,  but  he  did  not  live  to  re- 
ceive above  one  half  year's  income.  A  fit  of  the  gout 
proved  fatal  to  him  at  bis  house  at  Chiswick,  Jan.  24,  1762, 
He  died  almost  in  the  arms  of  lord  Elibank  and  sir  Gilbert 
Elliot,  from  whom  Mr.  Davies  had  this  information.  His 
character  may  be  gathered  from  the  preceding  particulars. 
He  left  a  daughter,  to  whom  a  pension  of  I  50/.  was  granted 
in  consequence  of  some  papers  found  in  her  father's  pos- 
session, which  belonged  to  the  prince  of  Wales,' and  con- 
tained a  history  of  his  life,  said- to  be  written  by  himself,' 
under  the  title  of  "  The  History  of  Prince  Titi/'  The  late 
Dr."  Rose  of  Chiswick,  who  was  Ralph's  executor,  gave  up 
those  papers  to  the  earl  of  Bute,  and  the  pension  was 
grajited  to  Miss  Ralph,  who  died,  however,  about  a  month 
after  her  father.  It  has  been  thought,  wiih^  much  pro- 
bability, that  "  The  History  of  Prince  Titi"  was  the  com-" 
position  of  Ralph  himself.  Besides  the  above  daughter, 
he  left  a  son,  if  we  may  rely  on  the  following  paragraprh 
in  all  the  papers  of  May  22,  1770,  erroneous  certainly  in 
other  particulars:  ^'Mr.  Ralph,  who  died  a  few  days  since, 
was  the  son  of  that  great  historian.  He  enjoyed  a  pension' 
of  150/.  a  year,  which  the  late  and  present  king  settled  on 
his  father  for  writing  the  History  of  Scotland."  * 

>  Biog.  Dram.— Gent.  Kag.  LXX.  p.  421.— Doddiitglon't   Diary,  4th  edit. 
Se«Iudex. — Park's  edUioo  of  W-j  I  pole's  Royal,  and  Noble  Authort,  vol.  I.  art.  ' 
Frederick  prince  of  Wales. — Davieg's  Life  ofGarrick,  vol.  I.  p.  224-^^'^l.— 
Jao«les*'s  edition  of  Pope. — Fox's  fiibtorical  Work,  p.  179. 


INDEX 


TO    THE 


TWENTY-FIFTH    VOLUME. 


Those  marked  thus  *  arc  new. 
lliose  marked  t  are  re-written,  with  additions. 


V 

PPtge 
ITT,  earl  of  Chatl^m 1 

*'  ■  ■  ■  '  William,  son 9 

Pittacus ,.  33 

♦Kttis,  Thomas ib. 

FiusII 24 

Pizarlt),  Francis 29 

I^acdus,  Vincent 31 

«nace,  Francis 32 

*■■■■   ■  ■  Joshua  de  kk  j  .  ^ . . . .  ib. 

» Peter  de  la. 33 

Pkicentinus,  Peter .34 

Pwcette,  John  de  la ib. 

fPlantin,  Christ 35 

Planodes,  Maximus 37 

•Plater,  F^lix ib. 

Flatina,  Barth.  . 38 

^I^atner,  John  Zach. 40 

fPlato 41 

Plautus,  M.  A .50 

fiPlayford,  John . . 52 

•Plemptus,  V.  F 53 

Plinius  Secundus,  € .54 

"  '         Caecilius  Secundus. .  62 
Plot,  Robert 65 

tPk>tinus , j68 


fPkiwden,  Edmund ........  7a 

Pliiche^  Antony 71* 

Flakenet,.Ije<mard 72 

Plumier,  Charles.  ......,.•  .74 

Plutarch .., 7^ 

Pluvinel,  Anth 81 

fPocock,  Edward .-^...  it^ 

Richard 94 

iVogQio,  Bracciolsni .......  9T 

Poilly,  Francia 103 

Poiret,  Peter; 103 

*Pois,  Nich.  le 104 

* — —  Charles  le  ..........  ib. 

^Poisson,  N.  J 105 

^Poissonnier,  P.  I IM 

fPole,.  Reginald  ...... .....107 

Polcmbeiqg,  Cornelius ....  ISO* 

*Poleni,  John 121 

tPdignac,  Mekhior  de . .  • .  122 

Politi,  Alexander 124 

fPolitian,  Angelus ib. 

*Pottexfen,  sir  Henry 12r 

Pollux,  Julius 128 

Polysrius 129 

Pdybius , ..130 


I-NDEX. 


ACM 


Pace 

Pblycaip  . ; ; ; ; 1S« 

♦Polycletus. 13« 

*Polymotus  : ; ib. 

Pombal>  S.  J.  C 137 

Potnet^  Peter 1S8 

iPiomey,  Francis ib. 

Pomfret,  John ib. 

♦Pbmmerave,  J.  F 140 

Pbmpadour^  J.  A.  P. ib« 

•Pbmpei,  Jerome  ; 141 

Pompej^  Cneius ib. 

Pompignan,  J.J. le Franc  .  143 

f  Pbmponatiii8>  P^er 146 

tPbrnpoDins  Lsetus,  Jul. ...  147 

PbntamtB^  J.  J 149 

* John  Isaac  . , . .  150 

•Pontas,  John ib. 

^Pontaidt,  9eb.  Beaulieu  de .  ib. 

^Ponte,  Francis  da 151 

f Jacob  da 152 

♦Pontius,  Constantine  ....  154 

*Pontoppidan,  Eric ib. 

tPool,  Matthew ib. 

•fPope,  Alexander 163 

* Sir  Thomas 181 

♦^——Walter. 188 

P^ham/  sir  John 191 

^Porcacehi^  Thomas ib. 

*Porcellu8,  Peter 192 

*Pbrchcron,  David  Placide  . .  ib. 

Pordenonci  John 193 

*Por^,  Charles 194 

Porphyrius , ib. 

^Porson,  Richard 196 

♦Porta,  Bacciodeila 205 

John  Bapt 206 

♦Pdrteus,  Beilby 207 

*Portus,  Francis. .........  214 

*- JEmilius ib. 

*P6ry,  John 215 

Possevin^  Ant 216 

Postd,  Will........ 217 

fPostlethwayt,  Malachi ....  219 

Potenger,  John. . .  ^ 220 

♦Pothier,  Rob  Jos 221 

Pott,  Percivai 222 

♦Potter,  Barnabas 225 

t Christopher 226 

^ Francb 298 

t  —       John 231 


fPotter,  Bitd' .^ 

*  '  ■■  ■  ■  Robert .236 

Ponget,*Francis  Am€ ....  238 

♦Pbupart,  Francis 239 

*Pourchot,  Edmund r.  ib. 

Poossinj  Nicholas 240 

■  ■  ■  Gaspaff 245 

*Pou6sines,  Peter 244 

Powell,  David ib. 

* Gabrid .WS 

*— Edward ib. 

*i— ,- — Griffith 246^ 

* Sh- John ... .247 

WiD.  Samuel 24S 

•Pownall,  Thomas 251 

♦Poynet,  John 254 

♦Pratt,  Charles,  earl  Camden  256 

♦ ^  Samuel  Jackson . .  269 

Pk'axiteles 261 

Premontval,  P.  de ib* 

♦Prestet,  John 262 

♦Preston,  John ib. 

Thomas 269 

Prevot  D^xiles,  A.  F 270 

tPrice,  John 273 

t Richard 274 

* Robert . . .  . .  28« 

fPrideaux,  Humphrey ....  284 

t       John. 293 

♦Priestley,  Joseph 297 

Primaticcio,  Francis 307 

Pringle,  sir  John  . . . .  .^ . . .  309^ 

Priolo,  Be^i 325 

fPrior,  Matthew 326 

Priscianus «  334 

Priseiilian ;......  ilk 

Pritz,  John  George 335 

♦Procaccini,  Julius  Ctesar  . .  336 

Proclus ib. 

Procopius,  of  C^sarea  • .  • .  338 

*  of  Gaza .:....  340 

*  ■   >■  Rasus ib. 

Propertius 341 

♦Prosper,  St 342 

♦Protagoras 343 

Protogenes x. 344 

Prudendui$,Clem.Aurelius  345 

Prynnc,  Will 346 

♦Przipeonus,  Sam 352 

FMdmanacar,  George ib. 


584 


INDEX 


Page 
Paellus;  Mich.  Const. .....  356 

Ptolbmey^  Claudius ib. 

♦ _  of  Lucca 361 

Publius  Syrus ib. 

Puffendorff,  Samuel . .  i . . .  369 

Pulci,  Luigi 366 

♦PuUen,  Robert 368 

Pulmannus,  Theodore ....  369 

♦Pulteney,  Richard 370 

+ '■ — -  William 372 

♦Pulzone,  Scijpio 378 

*Purbach,  George ib. 

Purcell,  He^iry 380 

Purchas,  Samuel 384 

Purver,  Antony 385 

f  Puteanu8,  Eryciu* 388 

Putschius,  Elias 391 

♦Puttenham,  George ib. 

fPuy,  Peter  du 393 

* — —Louis  du 394 

Puy-Segur,  Japies^  lord  of  396 

*Pye,  Henry  James 397 

tl^fej  Thomas 400 

*Pym,  John 401 

Pvnaker,  Adam 404 

*Pynson,  Richard ib. 

fPynho 405 

F^thagoras  . . . .  v 408 

r^thcas 415 

Quadratus 417- 

tQuarles,  Francis ib. 

f John 420 

jQuellinus,  Erasmus 421 

j[Juenstedt,  J.  A, 422 

^uerenghi,  Antony ib. 

^erlon>  A.  G.  M.  de ib. 


Page 

jQuemo,  CamiUo  . « 423 

jSJuesnay^  Francis 424 

^Quesne,  Abr.  du 426 

f  Quesnel,  Pasquier ........  ib. 

Qiievedo,  Francis  de. .....  429 

♦Quiet,  John 430 

jQuien,  Michael  le 431 

*— —  James  le  . .  w 432 

iQuillet,  Claudius 433 

Quin,  James 43& 

tjQuinault,  Philip 452 

*Quinquarboreus^  John. . . .  454 

Quintilian,  M.  F. 455 

Quintinie,  John  de  la  . . . .  458 

*Quintus  Calaber  ....,,..  459 

jQuirini,  Angelo  Maria  .....  ib^ 

*(3uistorp,  John ; . . .  461 

♦Rabanus  Mauru^,  M.  . . . .  462 

Rabelais,  Francis 463 

*Rabener,  T.  W 466 

fRabutin,  Count  de  Bussy . .  467 

Racan,  ti.  de  Bueil 469 

*Racine,  Bonaventure ib. 

'  John 470 

* Louis 1 ,  475 

'  Radcliffe,  John ib. 

*Raderus,  Matthew 485 

*Raikes,  Robert ib. 

*Raimondi,  M.  A 486 

♦Rainbow,  Edward 488 

♦Raine,  Matthew 491 

fRainolds,  John , . , .  493- 

f  Ralegh,  sir  Walter 500 

* Walter .... ...  515 

fRalph,  James 617 


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